E-Waste

E-waste is a term used to cover almost all types of electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) that has or could enter the waste stream. Although e-waste is a general term, it can be considered to cover TVs, computers, mobile phones, white goods (e.g. fridges, washing machines, dryers etc), home entertainment and stereo systems, toys, toasters, kettles – almost any household or business item with circuitry or electrical components with power or battery supply.

Importance of E waste management

E-waste is growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of about 30% in the country. Assocham estimated that e-waste generation was 1.8 million metric tonnes (MT) per annum in 2016 and would reach 5.2 million metric tonnes per annum by 2020.

Situation of India

India ranks fifth in the world in generating e-waste according to the UN’s Global E-Waste Monitor. While the US generated 7.795 million tonnes in 2014. The E waste generation is increasing at rate of 5%  every year.

Even today, when India is among the world’s largest consumer of mobile phones with 1.5 million tonnes of e-waste generated in 2015, most consumers are still unaware of how to dispose of their e-waste.

Most Indians end up selling their e-waste to the informal sector, which poses severe threats to human (including children’s) lives, with its improper and highly hazardous methods of extracting the trace amounts of precious metal from it and handling e-waste for profit.

Resultantly, due lack of proper handling several deadly substances like Arsenic, Barium, Beryllium, Cadmium, Chlorofluorocarbons, Chromium, Lead , Mercury etc.

To Streamline the E Waste management in a scientific and organized manner Government have come up with the E-wastes ( Management) rules, 2016.

E-wastes (Management) Rules, 2016: Highlights

The applicability of these rules has been extended to components, consumables, spares and parts of Electrical and Electronics.

Compact Fluorescent Lamp (CFL) and other mercury lamps have been brought under the purview of rules.

Manufacturer, dealer, refurbisher and producer responsibility organisation have been introduced.

Extended Producer Responsibility has been adopted to include creation of collection point and take back system.

Deposit Refund Scheme has been introduced as an additional economic instrument wherein , producer charges an additional amount as a deposit at the time of sale of electronic item and return it to consumer along with interest when electronic item is returned after end of its life for recycling.

The manufacture is also responsible to collect e waste generated during the manufacturing of electronic item.

Rules also focus on bring in the unorganised sector waste collector under formal sector. As at present over 90 % of e waste is handled by unorganised sector.

Urban local bodies have been assigned the duty to collect and channelise the disposed products to authorised recyclers and refurbishers.

How these rule help in solving the E Waste Management System:

The present rule has strengthened the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), which is the global best practice to ensure the take-back of the end-of-life products.

A new arrangement entitled, ‘Producer Responsibility Organisation’ (PRO) has been introduced to strengthen EPR further. PRO, a professional organisation, would be authorised or financed collectively or individually by producers, to share the responsibility for collection and channelisation of e-waste generated from the ‘end-of-life’ products to ensure environmentally sound management of such e-waste.

The present Rule ensures that every producer of electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) and their components or consumables or parts or spares shall ensure that new EEE and their components or consumables or parts or spares do not contain pollutants such as lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, polybrominated biphenyls and polybrominated diphenyl ethers beyond a maximum concentration value.

The rules empowers the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) to conduct random sampling of the equipments so that rules can be enforced properly.

Concerns which need to be addressed :

Involvement of Child Labor: In India, about 4.5 lakh child laborers in the age group of 10-14 are observed to be engaged in various E-waste activities and that too without adequate protection and safeguards in various yards and recycling workshops. So, there is a urgent need to bring out effective legislation to prevent entry of child labor into E-waste market- its collection, segregation and distribution.

Lack of infrastructure: There is huge gap between present recycling and collection facilities and quantum of E-waste that is being generated. No collection and take back mechanisms are in place. There is lack of recycling facilities.

Health Hazards:E-waste contains over 1,000 toxic materials, which contaminate soil and groundwater. Exposure can cause headache, irritability, nausea, vomiting, and eye pain. Recyclers may suffer liver, kidney and neurological disorders. Due to lack of awareness, they are risking their health and the environment as well.

Poor awareness and sensitization: Limited reach out and awareness regarding disposal, after determining end of useful life. Also Only 2% of individuals think of the impact on environment while disposing off their old electrical and electronic equipment.

E-waste imports : Cross-border flow of waste equipment into India- 80 percent of E-waste in developed countries meant for recycling is sent to developing countries such as India, China, Ghana and Nigeria.

Reluctance of authorities’ involved: Lack of coordination between various authorities responsible for E-waste management and disposal including the non-involvement of municipalities.

 Security implications:End of life computers often contain sensitive personal information and bank account details which, if not deleted leave opportunity for fraud.

Way Forward:

The general public should be encouraged to participate in programmes like ‘Swachh Digital Bharat’, by giving their e-waste to authorised recyclers only.

Digital literacy campaign should also focus on providing information about securing the sensitive information  at the time of disposing off or changing the devices.

 Apart from that, more regulation on E-waste imports to minimise the dumping of E-waste from developed countries and China is needed.

Model facilities employing environmentally sound technologies and methods for recycling and recovery are to be established.

Labour ministry should take cognisance of the use of child labour in E waste recycling etc.

These kids should be rescued and proper education and medical facilities should be provided to them.