| Environment: E-WASTE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA | | | | of e-waste |
| | | | | 5. Guidelines by Central Pollution Control Board (2008) |
| You are welcome to change your personal computer, | | | | |
| cell phone, refrigerator, or for that matter any | | | | The guidelines notified in April 2008 identify and |
| electronic or electrical gadget, but be careful while | | | | recognise: |
| disposing of the old one. Throwing it into the dustbin | | | | 1. Producers' responsibility |
| is not the proper disposal of an electronic equipment | | | | 2. RoHS (restriction on hazardous substances) |
| which has attained obsolescence as per your | | | | 3. Best practices |
| judgement. It may end up adding to e-waste, which | | | | 4. Insight into technologies for various levels of |
| creates problems for the ecology in general and | | | | recycling |
| directly or indirectly for the living beings around there | | | | |
| through air, water and soil pollution | | | | Mehta said that the guidelines explicitly mention the |
| The electronics industry is the world's largest and | | | | need for a separate legislation for implementing |
| fastest growing manufacturing industry. Recent policy | | | | producers' responsibility. He said that e-waste is |
| changes in India have led to an influx of leading | | | | ‘distinct' as it is an end-of-consumption waste |
| multinational companies to set up electronics | | | | while hazardous waste results from a distinct |
| manufacturing facilities and R&D centres for | | | | industrial process. The Environment Protection Act |
| hardware and software. This has no doubt helped | | | | provides for separate regulations for waste with |
| the Indian economy to grow faster and fueled | | | | ‘distinct' characteristics—Biomedical Wastes |
| increase in the consumption rate of electronics | | | | (M&H) Rules 1998, Batteries (M&H) Rules |
| products. Along with the economic growth and | | | | 2001, etc. |
| availability of electronics goods in the market has | | | | Advocating a separate legislation for e-waste, he said |
| increased temptation of consumers to replace their | | | | that in his recent presentation to members of the |
| household electronics items with newer models for | | | | parliament he has emphasised that e-waste value |
| various reasons. The net effect is a higher rate of | | | | chain is rather complex as it involves multiple |
| obsolescence, which is leading to growing piles of | | | | players—producers, distributors, retailers, end |
| e-waste. The aim of this article is to spread | | | | consumers, collection system and recyclers—while |
| awareness among our readers about the various | | | | hazardous waste chain involves only the occupier |
| issues involved in generation and management of | | | | generator and the operator. Recovery of non-ferrous |
| e-waste, particularly from Indian perspective. | | | | metals and reprocessing of used oil are the only two |
| What is e-waste? | | | | major activities in hazardous waste recycling, while |
| Electronic waste (e-waste) comprises waste | | | | e-waste recycling involves refurbishment for reuse, |
| electronics/electrical goods that are not fit for their | | | | dismantling and precious metal recovery, which is a |
| originally intended use or have reached their end of | | | | complexprocess.e-nam (EWA Newsletter for |
| life. This may include items such as computers, | | | | Awareness and Management) in its September2008 |
| servers, mainframes, monitors, CDs, printers, | | | | issue has brought out the latestactivities of EWA, |
| scanners, copiers, calculators, fax machines, battery | | | | MAIT-GTZ and others involved in the e-waste field. |
| cells, cellular phones, transceivers, TVs, medical | | | | It haspublished extracts of an article |
| apparatus and electronic components besides white | | | | titled‘Progress on e-waste, but Too Slow' byMini |
| goods such as refrigerators and air-conditioners. | | | | Josheph Tejaswi. The statementsof various experts |
| E-waste contains valuable materials such as copper, | | | | quoted in the articleare reproduced below: |
| silver, gold and platinum which could be processed for | | | | Lakshmi Raghupathy, former director in the ministry |
| their recovery. | | | | of environment and forest and an expert in e-waste |
| Is e-waste hazardous? | | | | management, said that governmental regulations |
| E-waste is not hazardous per se. However, the | | | | should make the producers solely responsible for the |
| hazardous constituents present in the e-waste render | | | | entire life-cycle—from manufacturing to |
| it hazardous when such wastes are dismantled and | | | | recycling—of their products. |
| processed, since it is only at this stage that they | | | | Nitin Gupta, CEO of Attero Recycling, said enterprises |
| pose hazard to health and environment. | | | | should be extremely careful and responsible while |
| Electronics and electrical equipment seem efficient | | | | throwing their unwanted computers and storage |
| and environmentally friendly, but there are hidden | | | | devices. |
| dangers associated with them once these become | | | | Computer manufacturers in India are slowly getting |
| e-waste. The harmful materials contained in | | | | active in e-waste management. "We are working |
| electronics products, coupled with the fast rate at | | | | with all stakeholders in the e-waste management |
| which we're replacing outdated units, pose a real | | | | eco-system," said S. Shankar, director (manufacturing |
| danger to human health if electronics products are | | | | and supply chain) in HP. The company has initiated a |
| not properly processed prior to disposal. | | | | three-pronged strategy: partner with e-waste |
| Electronics products like computers and cellphones | | | | recyclers, build awareness among individual/enterprise |
| contain a lot of different toxins. For example, | | | | customers and work with NGOs, recyclers, collectors |
| cathode ray tubes (CRTs) of computer monitors | | | | and dismantlers. |
| contain heavy metals such as lead, barium and | | | | Anne Cheong, senior service specialist in Dell, said |
| cadmium, which can be very harmful to health if they | | | | each manufacturer has an individual producer |
| enter the water system. These materials can cause | | | | responsibility. "We start from home. We have proper |
| damage to the human nervous and respiratory | | | | recycling facility in all countries including India. We are |
| systems. Flame-retardant plastics, used in electronics | | | | exploring that in Karnataka as well." |
| casings, release particles that can damage human | | | | Though companies claim they are taking action, many |
| endocrine functions. These are the types of things | | | | don't believe enough is being done. "Things are very |
| that can happen when unprocessed e-waste is put | | | | slow. Corporates are yet to understand the |
| directly in landfill. | | | | importance of it," said Wilma Rodrigues, founder |
| The scenario | | | | member of Saahas, a development organisation. |
| The Basel Action Network (BAN) which works for | | | | Decisions related to e-waste management, she said, |
| prevention of globalization of toxic chemicals has | | | | are still taken by junior employees in organisations, |
| stated in a report that 50 to 80 per cent of e-waste | | | | with top executives not even looking at it. Almost |
| collected by the US is exported to India, China, | | | | every company has some mention on its website on |
| Pakistan, Taiwan and a number of African countries. | | | | e-waste management, but very few are doing |
| This is done because cheaper labour is available for | | | | anything. The country has twelve authorised e-waste |
| recycling in these countries. And in the US, export of | | | | recyclers including e-Parisara and Ash in Bangalore, |
| e-waste is legal.e-waste recycling and disposal in | | | | Tessam in Chennai and Eco-Reco in Mumbai. Ramky |
| China, India and Pakistan are highly polluting. Of late, | | | | Group is setting up the country's largest integrated |
| China has banned import of e-waste. Export of | | | | e-waste management facility in Bangalore in |
| e-waste by the US is seen as lack of responsibility on | | | | collaboration with GTZ, while Attero is building an |
| the part of Federal Government, electronics industry, | | | | integrated e-waste recycling plant in Utter Pradesh. |
| consumers, recyclers and local governments towards | | | | D.C. Sharma, vice president of Ramky Enviro |
| viable and sustainable options for disposal of e-waste. | | | | Engineers, cautioned that no player should indulge in |
| In India, recycling of e-waste is almost entirely left to | | | | cherry-picking, collect whatever one thinks is worth |
| the informal sector, which does not have adequate | | | | and leave the hazardous portions out. Ramky is also |
| means to handle either the increasing quantities or | | | | building a transfer storage disposal facility (landfill) for |
| certain processes, leading to intolerable risk for | | | | hazardous waste at Dob-bespet on Tumkur Road. |
| human health and the environment. | | | | Finally, through improved e-waste management in the |
| Dynamics of e-waste | | | | major Indian cities, the e-waste initiatives taken in |
| Generation Telecommunications and information | | | | the country will achieve better environmental |
| technology are the fastest growing industries today | | | | conditions. Moreover, health conditions of workers |
| not only in India but world over. Manufacturers' | | | | active in the e-waste recycling sector will enormously |
| Association for Information Technology (MAIT) has | | | | improve at the local level. As an overall effect, the |
| collected the following statistics on the growth of | | | | living conditions for the neighbouring population will be |
| electronics and IT equipment in India: | | | | better. The already existing schemes of e-waste |
| | | | | recycling and material recovery, mainly in the informal |
| 1. PC sales were over 7.3 million units during 2007-08, | | | | sector, will be transformed to transparent and |
| growing by 16 per cent. There is an installed base of | | | | workers- and environment-friendly methods. In the |
| over 25 million units. | | | | long term, the problem of improper e-waste recycling |
| 2. The consumer electronics market is growing at the | | | | will disappear due to improved methods, |
| rate of 13-15 per cent annually. It has an installed | | | | implementation of a take-back system and |
| base of 120 million TVs. | | | | consideration of the extended producer's |
| 3. The cellular subscriber base was up by 96.86 per | | | | responsibility. |
| cent during 2007-08. Its installed base is estimated to | | | | Experience exchange on national and international |
| cross 300 million mark by 2010.and growth in the | | | | levels, including know-how transfer, is being facilitated |
| electronics industry, obsolescence rate has also | | | | through the various initiatives. Thus, a dialogue |
| increased. People are phasing out/replacing their IT, | | | | platform for Indian and European e-waste experts |
| communication and consumer electronicsequipment | | | | has been created, opening the doors for future |
| including white and brown goods as shown in Table II. | | | | industries to be developed and cooperation activities |
| As per a GTZ-MAIT sponsored study conducted | | | | to be performed for technology and knowledge |
| recently by IMRB, ewaste generated in India during | | | | transfer. |
| 2007 was around 332,979 MT besides about 50,000 | | | | Structure of the Proposed e-Waste Legislations |
| MT entering the country by way of imports. The | | | | 1. Title: E-waste (Management & Handling) Rules |
| reasons for generation of this large quantity of | | | | to be published under the Environment Protection Act |
| e-waste were unprecedented growth of the IT | | | | 2. Objective: To put in place an effective mechanism |
| industry during the last decade, and the early product | | | | to regulate the generation,collection, storage, |
| obsolescence due to continuous innovation. Thus the | | | | transportation, import, export, environmentally sound |
| net effect is the e-waste turning into a fastest | | | | recycling,treatment and disposal of e-waste. This |
| growing waste stream. However, the total e-waste | | | | includes refurbishment, collection system and |
| available in 2007 for recycling and refurbishing was | | | | producer's responsibility, thereby reducing the wastes |
| 144,143 MT. Of this, only 19,000 MT of e-waste | | | | destined for final disposal. |
| could be processed. | | | | 3. Essence: The producer of electrical and electronic |
| Components of e-waste management | | | | equipment is responsible for the entire life cycle of its |
| The major components of e-waste management are: | | | | own branded product and in particular the |
| | | | | environmentally sound end-of-life management and |
| 1. e-waste collection, sorting and transportation | | | | facilitating collection and take back. |
| 2. e-waste recycling; it involves dismantling, recovery | | | | 4. Responsibility of each element in the e-waste value |
| of valuable resource, sale of dismantled parts and | | | | chain: |
| export of processed waste for precious metal | | | | • Producers |
| recovery The stakeholders, i.e., the people who can | | | | • Dealers |
| help in overcoming the challenges posed by e-waste, | | | | • Collection agencies/ collection Centres |
| are: | | | | • Dismantlers |
| | | | | • Recyclers |
| 1. Manufacturers | | | | • Consumer and bulk consumers |
| 2. Users | | | | |
| 3. Recyclers | | | | 5. Procedure for authorisation of producers, collection |
| 4. Policy makers | | | | agencies, dismantlers, recyclers and enforcement |
| E-waste concerns and challenges | | | | agencies |
| 1. Accurate figures not available for rapidly increasing | | | | 6. Procedure for registration/renewal of registration |
| e-waste volumes—generated domestically and by | | | | of recyclers |
| imports | | | | 7. Regulations for import of e-waste |
| 2. Low level of awareness among manufacturers and | | | | 8. Liability of producers, collection agencies, |
| consumers of the hazards of incorrect e-waste | | | | transporters, dismantlers and recyclers |
| disposal | | | | 9. Information & tracking |
| 3. No accurate estimates of the quantity of e-waste | | | | 10. Elimination of hazardous substances used in |
| generated and recycled available in India | | | | e-equipment |
| 4. Major portion of e-waste is processed by the | | | | 11. Setting up of designated authority to ensure |
| informal (unorganised) sector using rudimentary | | | | transparency, audit and inspect facilities, examine |
| techniques such as acid leaching and open-air burning, | | | | authorisation/registration, etc |
| which results in severe environmental damage | | | | |
| 5. e-waste workers have little or no knowledge of | | | | TABLE I |
| toxins in e-waste and are exposed to health hazards | | | | E-Waste Toxins and Affected Body Parts |
| 6. High-risk backyard recycling operations impact | | | | Components |
| vulnerable social groups like women, children and | | | | Constituents |
| immigrant labourers | | | | Affected body parts |
| 7. Inefficient recycling processes result in substantial | | | | Printed circuit boards |
| losses of material value and resources | | | | Lead and cadmium |
| 8. Cherry-picking by recyclers who recover precious | | | | Nervous system, kidney, lever |
| metals (gold, platinum, silver, copper, etc) and | | | | Motherboards |
| improperly dispose of the rest, posing environmental | | | | Berillium |
| hazards | | | | Lungs, skin |
| 9. No specific legislation for dealing with e-waste at | | | | Cathode ray tubes (CRTs) |
| present | | | | Lead oxide, barium and cadmium |
| Status of e-waste initiatives | | | | Heart, lever, muscles |
| The Ministry of Environment & Forests (MoEF) | | | | Switches and flat-screen monitors |
| of the government of India is responsible for | | | | Mercury |
| environmental legislation and its control. The Central | | | | Brain, skin |
| Pollution Control Board (CPCB), an autonomous body | | | | Computer batteries |
| under the MoEF, plays an important role in drafting | | | | Cadmium |
| guidelines and advising the MoEF on policy matters | | | | Kidney, lever |
| regarding environmental issues. Historically, in 2001 in | | | | Capacitors and transformers |
| cooperation with MoEF, the German Technology | | | | Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) |
| Cooperation (GTZ) began work on hazardous waste | | | | Printed circuit boards, plastic |
| management in India through the advisory services in | | | | Brominated flame-retardant casings cable |
| environmental management. Subsequently, Swiss | | | | Cable insulation/coating |
| Federal Laboratories for Material Testing and | | | | Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) |
| Research (EMPA) started to implement its global | | | | Immune system |
| programme ‘Knowledge Partnerships in e-waste | | | | Plastic housing |
| Recycling.' | | | | Bromine |
| Combining the knowledge and technical expertise of | | | | Endocrine |
| EMPA on e-waste management, coupled with the | | | | TABLE II |
| field experience of the Indo-German projects in | | | | Discard Rate of Electronics Items |
| managing hazardous waste in India, the | | | | |
| Indo-German-Swiss ewaste initiative was born in | | | | Item |
| 2004. | | | | Discard/replace rate |
| The vision of this initiative is to establish a clean | | | | Mobile telephone |
| e-waste channel that is a: | | | | 1 to 3 years |
| 1. Convenient collection and disposal system for large | | | | PC |
| and small consumers to return all their e-waste safely | | | | Every 2 years |
| 2. Voluntary system for modern and concerned | | | | Camera |
| producers to care for their product beyond its useful | | | | 3 to 5 years |
| life | | | | Television |
| 3. Financially secure system that makes | | | | 10-15 years |
| environmentally and socially responsible e-waste | | | | Refrigerator |
| recycling viable | | | | 10-15 years |
| The objectives of the initiative are: | | | | Washing Machine |
| 1. Reduce the risks to the population and the pollution | | | | 10-15 years |
| of the environment resulting from unsafe handling | | | | IT accessories |
| 2. Focus on knowledge transfer to and skills upgrade | | | | Very fast |
| of all involved stakeholders through trainings and | | | | TABLE III |
| seminars | | | | WEE Generating - Top Ten States |
| 3. Target mainly the existing informal recyclers | | | | State |
| allowing for their maximum but safe participation in | | | | WEE (Tonnes) |
| future e-waste management by facilitating their | | | | Maharashtra |
| evolution and integration in formal structures | | | | 20270.59 |
| The milestones achieved so far are: | | | | Tamil Nadu |
| 1. Improved awareness: | | | | 13486.24 |
| • Three WEEE Care! Initiative workshops in | | | | Andhra pradesh |
| Bangalore supported by the Goethe Institute | | | | 12780.33 |
| • National e-waste workshop in Delhi, hosted by | | | | Uttar pradesh |
| MoEF | | | | 10381.11 |
| 2. Improved stakeholder engagement: | | | | West bengal |
| • Formation of the e-waste Agency (EWA) brings | | | | 10059.36 |
| together industry, government and NGO to work on | | | | Delhi |
| a sustainable e-waste management strategy for | | | | 9729.15 |
| Bangalore | | | | Karnataka |
| • First national e-waste workshop held, defined a | | | | 9118.74 |
| way froward | | | | Gujarat |
| • First national workshop on ewaste guidelines | | | | 8994.33 |
| held, organised by MoEF | | | | Madhya pradesh |
| 3. Improved estimates of e-waste: | | | | 7800.62 |
| • Rapid assessments in Delhi and Bangalore of the | | | | Punjab |
| quantities being Generated, and identification of the | | | | 6958.46 |
| e-waste recycling hot-spots | | | | TABLE IV |
| • National-level desk study to assess e-waste | | | | WEE Generating - Top Ten Cities |
| quantities | | | | City |
| A national-level assessment of electronics and | | | | WEE (Tonnes) |
| electrical equipment waste (WEEE) by MoEF/CPCB | | | | Ahmedabad |
| IRG/GTZ lists the top ten most polluting states and | | | | 3287.5 |
| cities of India as shown in Tables III and IV. The | | | | Bangalore |
| figure are taken from the presentation of Dr Dilip B. | | | | 4648.4 |
| Boralkar at National Conference on E-Waste | | | | Chennai |
| Management, an Indo-German-Swiss E-Waste | | | | 4132.2 |
| Initiative, at New Delhi on December 10, 2008. | | | | Delhi |
| The MAIT-GTZ study on e-waste found that 94 per | | | | 9730.3 |
| cent of the organisations studied did not have any | | | | Hyderabad |
| policy on disposal of obsolete IT products. Though | | | | 2833.5 |
| many respondents (200 corporates and 400 | | | | Kolkata |
| households) were aware of e-waste, they were | | | | 4025.3 |
| lacking in action. | | | | Mumbai |
| Vinnie Mehta, executive director of the MAIT, in his | | | | 11017.1 |
| presentation at National Conference on E-Waste | | | | Nagpur |
| Management (an Indo-German-Swiss E-Waste | | | | 1768.9 |
| Initiative), | | | | Pune |
| listed the following legislations that cover different | | | | 2584.2 |
| aspects of e-waste: | | | | Surat |
| 1. The hazardous waste (management and handling) | | | | 1836.5 |
| rules, 1998 as amended in 2008 for toxic | | | | |
| content— registration mandatory for recyclers | | | | Recovering copper from printed circuit boards (Photo |
| 2. Municipal solid waste management and handling | | | | courtesy: EMPA) |
| rules for non-toxic content | | | | "The law, like medicine, is an inexact science. One |
| 3. Basel convention for regulating trans-boundary | | | | cannot predict with certainty an outcome of many |
| movement | | | | cases. It depends on the particular facts and |
| 4. Foreign trade policy, which restricts import of | | | | circumstances of the case and personal notions of |
| second-hand computers and does not permit import | | | | the judge concerned who is hearing the case. |