Context: India is the third-largest producer of e-waste after China and the United States. More than 95% of this waste is handled by informal sector but this  unprecedented generation of e-waste is a cause of concern.
About e-Waste

• International Telecommunication Union defines e-waste as all items of electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) and its parts that have been discarded by its owner as waste without the intent of re-use.

Key Findings

• According to a Central Pollution Control Board report, in financial year 2019-2020, India generated 1,014,961.2 tonnes of e-waste for 21 types of EEE.
• This waste is classified into six categories: Cooling and freezing equipment like refrigerators, freezer other equipment such as televisions, monitors, laptops, notebooks and tablets.
• It also comprises fluorescent lamps and other large and small equipment like washing machines, clothes dryers, dish-washing machines, vacuum cleaners and microwaves.
• Ventilation equipment, small IT and telecommunication equipment like positioning systems (GPS), pocket calculators, routers, personal computers, printers and telephones are also included in the broad definition of e-waste.

Key Problem

• Enormous generation of e-waste is not a new issue, but it has resurfaced in the discourse of climate change.

e-waste stream contains diverse materials — most prominently hazardous substances such as lead, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs), mercury, polybrominated biphenyl ethers (PBDEs), brominated flame retardants (BFRs), and valuable substances such as iron, steel, copper, aluminum and plastics.

• These require special treatment and cannot be dumped in landfill sites.

E-waste releases harmful chemicals, such as lead, on burning, which adversely impacts human blood, kidney and the peripheral nervous system.

• Thrown in landfills, the chemicals seep in the ground water affecting both land and sea animals.

Key Challenge

• India has become the largest producer of e-waste after China and the United States. More than 95 per cent of this waste is handled by the informal sector, which only adds to the problem. 
• Decomposing e-waste is an expensive process and only a few developed countries can afford to do so.
• COVID-19 caused unnecessary short-term investment in technology, which leave us at risk with data being stored on a wide range of devices.

Viable Solutions

We need to efficiently use our electronic devices by regularly maintaining them. By getting devices serviced timely, we can extend the average life of these electronic devices.

• Need to break consumerist patterns: We need to revaluate our choices and use one multi-purpose device. One can also extend the life of electronics by buying a case, keeping the device clean and avoiding overcharging.
• Promote conditional selling: All tech companies should mandate their customers to buy new technology only after exchanging old electronic products for the new ones.
• Recycle: Adopt smart ways to recycle their old products to produce new ones by outsourcing contracts to e-waste disposal companies.
• Proper Legislation: There are various legislations to regulate the disposal and management of e-waste in India, but their implementation is lax. These legislations include Hazardous Wastes (Management and Handling) Amendment Rules, 2003, Guidelines for Environmentally Sound Management of E-waste, 2008 and E-waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 2011.

Conclusion

• The states have notified a set of hazardous waste laws and built waste disposal facilities in the last 10 years. However, a Comptroller and Auditor General of India report found that over 75 per cent of state bodies were not implementing these laws.

By: Shubham Tiwari