India's new battery rules leave manufacturers scrambling over zinc-carbon mismatch
Big names like Eveready, Panasonic, and Nippo are worried as India's new Battery Waste Management Rules kick in from 2025.
The law demands that 50% of zinc-carbon dry cell batteries be collected for recycling, but it's mainly designed for lithium-ion batteries, not zinc-carbon ones, which actually make up most of the market here.
That mismatch has the industry scrambling.
Panasonic warns of 50L/cr compliance cost
Panasonic points out that current technology can't really recycle zinc-carbon batteries into usable materials yet.
Trying to meet the new targets could cost Panasonic around ₹50 crore for FY26, even though Panasonic's expected profit is just ₹6 crore.
Collection rates are low (about 20%), and extended producer responsibility (EPR) certificates cost way more than buying fresh materials.
Indo National's CEO says other countries roll out similar rules slowly, but India's going all-in right away, leaving manufacturers with little time or infrastructure to adapt.