EIA Notification 2006 (S.O. 1533)

EIA Notification 2006, formally numbered S.O. 1533(E) and dated 14 September 2006, is the foundational subordinate legislation under India's Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, that makes prior Environmental Clearance mandatory for a defined list of industrial, infrastructure, mining, and waste-management projects. It superseded the 1994 EIA Notification and is the operative framework still in force today, with multiple amendments through 2024.

Project classification structure: The notification's Schedule I lists 39 project categories, each split into Category A (cleared by MoEFCC at the central level, generally larger or higher-impact projects) and Category B (cleared by the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority, generally medium-scale). Category B is further divided into B1 (full EIA report required) and B2 (scoping or general conditions sufficient). Threshold values define which category a given project falls into — for recycling units, common thresholds reference processing capacity, plot area, or specific feedstock category.

Four-stage clearance process: The notification codifies four sequential stages applicable to projects requiring full appraisal: (1) Screening — determining whether a Category B project needs a full EIA or can proceed under general conditions; (2) Scoping — issuance of Terms of Reference by EAC or SEAC defining what the EIA must cover; (3) Public Consultation — public hearing in the affected area plus written-comment period under SEAC supervision; (4) Appraisal — technical review by EAC or SEAC leading to recommendation, and final Environmental Clearance by MoEFCC or SEIAA. Each stage has statutory time limits (60-120 days).

Relevance for recycling businesses: Almost every formal recycling project above a small threshold triggers EIA Notification 2006 — e-waste recycling units above 10 TPA, plastic waste processing units above defined plot size, tyre pyrolysis units, lithium-ion battery recycling, and most hazardous-waste handling facilities are explicitly listed in Schedule I categories 7(d), 7(da), and 7(e). Compliance requires engaging a NABET-accredited environmental consultant, preparing a project-specific EIA report, completing baseline monitoring across three seasons (often a 9-12 month timeline), and budgeting Rs 8-25 lakh for the EIA exercise itself, separate from the substantive Environmental Management Plan implementation costs. Failure to obtain EC before commencement is treated as commencement of a project without clearance — a violation that can trigger plant closure and prosecution under the Environment (Protection) Act.