UPSC Prelims 2019 GS Paper I · Q78 of 100 Environment & Ecology medium

In India, 'extended producer responsibility' was introduced as an important feature in which of the following?

  1. (a) The Bio-medical Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 1998
  2. (b) The Recycled Plastic (Manufacturing and Usage) Rules, 1999
  3. (c) The e-Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 2011 ✓ UPSC's answer
  4. (d) The Food Safety and Standard Regulations, 2011

Why the answer is (c)

• Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) makes producers responsible for collecting and safely disposing of their products at end-of-life.

• It was first introduced in India as a key feature of the e-Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 2011, requiring electronics producers to set up take-back and channelise e-waste to authorised recyclers — option (c).

• EPR was later extended to plastics (2016 Rules), batteries (2022) and tyres (2022).

• The 1998 biomedical rules (a), 1999 plastic rules (b) and food regulations (d) did not contain EPR.

• Hence option (c).

Why the other options are wrong

(a) The Bio-medical Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 1998
Biomedical waste rules assign responsibility to healthcare facilities, not EPR.
(b) The Recycled Plastic (Manufacturing and Usage) Rules, 1999
The 1999 plastic rules had no EPR provision.
(d) The Food Safety and Standard Regulations, 2011
Food regulations do not involve EPR.

Asked in the GS Paper I of the UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2019, held on 2 June 2019. Question and answer key: Union Public Service Commission. Explanation: UPSC Answer Check.

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