E-WASTE
DATA ON PRODUCTION AND MANAGEMENT OF E-WASTE
THIRD TOPIC | 24-05-21
“India ranks 177 amongst 180 countries and is amongst the bottom five countries on the
Environmental Performance Index 2018, as per a report released at the World Economic
Forum 2018. Also, India is ranked fifth in the world amongst top e-waste producing countries
after the USA, China, Japan, and Germany and recycles less than 2 per cent of the total e-
waste it produces annually formally.”
PRODUCTION OF E-WASTE IN INDIA
According to Global E-waste Monitor 2020, out of the 53.6 million tonnes of e-waste India
produced 3.2 million tonnes in 2019 alone. Predicted by an ASSOCHAM-EY joint report,
titled ‘Electronic Waste Management in India’ India would generate 5 million tonnes by
2021. The study blames computer equipment and mobile phones as the primary e-waste
contributor. With Covid-19 and online classes the usage is getting higher while
simultaneously taking away any proper intervention present earlier. The world is likely to
produce 100 million tonnes by 2050.
In India, among top ten cities, Mumbai ranks first in generating e-waste followed by
Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Pune, Surat and Nagpur.
The 65 cities generate more than 60% of the total generated e-waste, whereas, 10 states
generate 70% of the total e-waste.
MANAGEMENT OF E- WASTE IN INDIA
The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) and KPMG
study, Electronic Waste Management in India identified that computer equipment
account for almost 70% of e-waste, followed by telecommunication equipment phones
(12%), electrical equipment (8%), and medical equipment (7%) with remaining from
household e-waste.
LAWS IN PLACE
India is the only country in Southern Asia to have laws regarding e-waste management. E-
waste Management and Handling Rules under the Environment Protection Act (1986) had
been notified on 12th May 2011 to address the safe and environment friendly handling,
transporting, storing and recycling of e-waste; to reduce the use of hazardous substances
during manufacturing of electrical and electronic equipment. These rules came into effect
on 1st May 2012.
Producer Responsibility Organization (PRO) has also been introduced which dictates that
the producers have to meet yearly collection targets, which should be 20 % of the waste
generated by their sales. This will increase by 10 % annually for the next five years. The law
also says that the responsibility of producers is not confined to waste collection, but also
to ensure that the waste reaches the authorized recycler/dismantler.
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LAW FALLS SHORT IN PRACTICE
Although we have such provisions in law, in practice and awareness it falls short. Even
with companies agreeing to such conditions. India only has about 178 registered e-waste
recyclers out of which many work to only store hazardous material and don’t have the
equipment to recycle waste.
When you give your e-waste to an unauthorized waste-collectors/ Kabadi wallas, you’re
contributing to the chain of unregulated markets, which accounts for handling over 95%
of e-waste generated in India. These markets attempt to extract metals from devices to sell
them onward, but possibly with fewer skills per metal and the necessary safety standards.
Dharavi in Mumbai, Meerut, Moradabad, Seelampur in Delhi are some such spaces which
engage in open-air burning of wires to extract copper, use cyanide-based acid to extract
metals – at great harm to themselves and the environment around them.
Hope might be there yet:
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has initiated an e-waste
awareness program under Digital India, along with industry associations from 2015, to
create awareness among the public about the hazards of e-waste recycling by the
unorganized sector, and to educate them about alternate methods of disposing their e-
waste.
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They have also developed technologies which work well in the Indian terrain (in terms of
affordability and availability). Primarily e-waste containing plastics is removed and
converted into recycled plastic used in 3-D printing. High grade metals such as gold,
silver, copper palladium etc. are extracted for re-sale.
Norway: Notable Management of E-waste
Take back of e-waste
The Ministry of Environment in Norway signed an agreement to set up take back
companies with the producers and importers of electronic waste as early as 1998. It was a
voluntary agreement and was later followed by an e-waste regulation in 1999. Like the
rules in India, management of e-waste in Norway is also a producer responsibility and
producers are defined as Norwegian manufacturers and importers of Electronic
equipment (EEE). Producers/importers of e-waste in Norway are obliged to be members of
a take-back company and have to pay a fee for their membership to the take-back
companies. This is how it provides the funding for collection and treatment of the waste.
The price for membership differs according to product type. Currently, there are five
approved take back companies in Norway with 5000 member producers/importers.
Before starting off, the take back companies in Norway need to get an approval from the
NEA (National Environmental Agency). The approval process includes a verification of
nearly about 50 criterions besides third party having to certify them. The process includes
providing a plan detailing how they will collect e-waste and treat it in an environmentally
sound way.
They also need to ensure that they will collect all e-waste from their market share which is
determined by how much of electronics is put into the market by their members. The take
back companies report back to Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE)
register and also finance WEEE register. WEEE register, however is, managed by the
government and maintains all records regarding e-waste in the country.
In contrast, India does not have any data on the electronics being manufactured and
imported in the country. There is no national registry taking account of the producers
operating in the country and the amount of EEE introduced by them in the market.
Huge amount of recycling and recovery of e-waste in Norway has only been possible due
to the presence of efficient take back system and the collective interest of the producers to
comply with the legislations. In a stark contrast, the formal collection mechanisms in
India are able to capture only 5% of the end of life EEE and a huge chunk lands in the
informal sector putting a question mark on the recycling and recovery of e-waste.
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