Importers of hazardous waste to India can download a completed pre shipment inspection certificate (PSIC) pdf from the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) website, as soon as it has been uploaded by a DGFT approved inspection agency, along with any video and photographic evidence required.
What is the PSIC for?
Before a shipment of hazardous waste arrives in port, an inspection agency needs to have checked that the waste being shipped doesn’t contain contaminants that contravene India’s hazardous waste management rules (HWMR), although there are exceptions. The agency is also meant to confirm the buyer’s specifications, and to verify that the quantity and value of the import is compliant with World Trade Organisation (WTO) requirements, which are then recorded on the PSI certificate.
Which wastes require a PSIC?
Certain secondary raw materials that are not classified as hazardous waste in countries such as the UK or Italy, do qualify as hazardous waste in India, including scrap paper. As a consequence, exporters of green list waste sometimes need a PSIC along with Forms 6 and 9 and other documentation such as a certificate of origin (COO), to enable Customs clearance when the shipment reaches India.
A PSIC for scrap metal is not always needed, however. This depends on where the waste came from, and which port the shipment is entering India by. As of December 2024, a PSIC is not required for the import of whole end-of-life tyres (ELT) either, although it is illegal to use imported whole scrap tyres for pyrolysis.
PSIC required information
Details of the exporter, importer and waste originator need to go on a PSIC. The shipment’s container numbers, the quantity of bales, the weight in metric tonnes, and the Harmonised System (HS) code of the waste also need to be provided. The PSIC certifies to Customs that an inspection has found the details on the certificate to be true and correct. An original hard copy of the PSIC is usually required by Indian Customs before the shipment arrives, at risk of delays and penalties.
Inspections and evidence
While scrap metal exports can involve physical inspections before departure to obtain a PSIC, along with testing for the presence of radioactive materials, other wastes may only require documentary and visual evidence. Photographs or videos are taken during the loading of the container, including photos of the closed door with the container number visible, a bale break, and the seal in place clearly showing the seal number.
Waste importer authorisation
Importers of hazardous waste to India use a Form 5 to obtain authorisation from their State Pollution Control Board for the import or export of hazardous and other waste for reuse, recycling, recovery, co-processing or utilisation. It is one of a suite of twelve HWMR forms.
