Steel Scrap Recycling Policy

• The Steel Scrap Recycling Policy has been issued by the Ministry of Steel in november 2019.
• It provides a framework to facilitate and promote establishment of metal scrapping centers in India for scientific processing & recycling of ferrous scrap generated from various sources.
• The policy framework provides standard guidelines for collection, dismantling and shredding activities in an organized, safe and environmentally sound manner.

Background

• Ferrous Scrap being the primary raw material for electric arc furnace (EAF) and induction furnace (IF) based steel production, the policy envisages a framework to facilitate and promote establishment of metal scrapping centers in India.
• This will ensure scientific processing & recycling of ferrous scrap generated from various sources and a variety of products.
• The policy framework shall provide standard guidelines for collection, dismantling and shredding activities in an organized, safe and environmentally sound manner.
• Steel is a material most conducive for circular economy as it can be used, reused and recycled infinitely.
• While iron ore remains the primary source of steel making, used or re-used steel in the form of Scrap is the secondary raw material for the steel industry.
• Indian steel industry is characterized by the presence of a large number of small steel producers who utilize scrap with other inputs in EAF/IF for steel making.

Objectives:

• To promote a circular economy in the steel sector.
• To promote a formal and scientific collection, dismantling and processing activities for end of life products that are sources of recyclable (ferrous, non- ferrous and other non-metallic) scraps which will lead to resource conservation and energy savings and setting up of an environmentally sound management system for handling ferrous scrap.
• Processing and recycling of products in an organized, safe and environment friendly manner.
• To evolve a responsive ecosystem by involving all stakeholders.
• To produce high quality ferrous scrap for quality steel production thus minimizing the dependency on imports.
• To decongest the Indian cities from end-of-live vehicle (ELVs) and reuse of ferrous scrap.
• To create a mechanism for treating waste streams and residues produced from dismantling and shredding facilities in compliance to Hazardous & Other Wastes (Management & Transboundary Movement) Rules, 2016 issued by MoEF & CC.
• To promote 6Rs principles of Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Recover, Redesign and Remanufacture through scientific handling, processing and disposal of all types of recyclable scraps including non-ferrous scraps, through authorized centers / facilities.

Features of the Policy:

• The policy framework provides standard guidelines for collection, dismantling and shredding activities in an organized, safe and environmentally sound manner.
• It enumerates responsibilities for setting up collection, dismantling centre and scrap processing centre, and the roles of aggregators and responsibilities of the Government, manufacturer and owner.
• It does not envisage setting up of scrap centres by the Government.
• The role of Government is to be an enabler and provide a framework to facilitate the eco-system of metal scrapping in the country.
• The decision to set up scrap centres is of entrepreneurs based on commercial considerations.
• The Scrapping Centres are approved and monitored by the authorized agencies of the State/Union Territory Governments.
• The Policy does not envisage any additional monitoring mechanism thereby ensuring that there is no additional compliance burden.