What is digital PRO?

PRO, also known as Producer Responsibility Organization, is a crucial EPR principle, which puts the responsibility of environmental impacts of products on its producer. PRO recognizes two sectors Plastic and E-Waste Management. Digital PRO allows the producers to connect and transfer information through the web and other devices.

PRO is financed and authorized individually and collectively by the producers. This organization takes responsibility from the producers for channelizing the e-waste. It helps the businesses meet their respective EPR targets through various technologies.

Role of  digital PRO

PRO’s primary role is to assist the producers in ensuring environmentally sound waste management by:

  1. Collection and channelization of the waste on behalf of authorized producers and brand owners.
  2. Provide the extended producer plan for legal requirements on digital platforms
  3. Establishing channel partners and center points for collecting the plastic and e-waste.
  4. Disposal of processed plastic waste
  5. Get  the logistics agreement
  6. Creating awareness in masses by using different mediums like print and social media
  7. Organizing corporate events, digital campaigns, and taking various initiatives to tell people about plastic and e-waste management.
  8. The dismantling and recycling of the product should be environmentally sound.

PRO Agency Registration

The application form is submitted to CPCB for registration of PRO. This form consists of guidelines for both EEE products waste management and plastic waste management. The application form requires the below-mentioned details:

    • Organization details: Name and full address of the organization with Email ID and other contact details.
    • Authorized Person: Name, full address, Email Id, and phone and fax number.
    • Registration number: The statutory body issues it
    • Other details: PAN card and GST numbers
    • Channel partners details: Logistics partners, aggregators, and recyclers 
  • Category of waste: Waste falls in which type — electronic, plastic, or any other
  • Details of organizational structure: If it is the human resource, collection facilities, storage, or transportation.
  • Details of experience: Includes information of the name of the waste, disposal method, collection mechanism, workforce, and expertise in waste management
  • Districts and places covered: the locations and areas that your organization covers.

Selecting a digital PRO agency 

  1. Check what the capacity of the agency to handle the waste is. Keep these points in mind:
           Their capacity for collection of waste
           The handlers and recyclers that work for that agency to handle the waste.
  2. Check its capabilities of channelizing the e-waste and plastic waste if the agency meets with the collection target of the brand owners and the producers.

 3.    Check the organizational structure of the agency. It should contain:
            Proper human resource facilities
            Collection facilities
            Well built infrastructure for collection
            Storage system 
            Transportation of the waste
            Have proper collection centers and correct details of reverse logistics agreements.

4.    Check if the agency carries out public awareness initiatives campaigns. Use a proper channel to enhance the disposal and recycling of the waste material.

CPCB regulates PRO, and it is a positive step towards the waste management process. Successful EPR and PRO management is a result of a useful regulatory framework that highlights the different roles of producers and other stakeholders. Hence, digital PRO makes it possible for producers to regulate waste management and its disposal with less effort and burden.