E-WASTE - THE INDIAN SCENARIO
Ishica Ghosh
Campus Law Centre, University of Delhi
Electronic waste or
e-waste is one of the rapidly growing problems of the world. E-waste comprises
of a multitude of components, some containing toxic substances that can have an
adverse impact on human health and the environment if not handled properly. In
India, e-waste management assumes greater significance not only due to the
generation of its own e-waste but also because of the dumping of e-waste from
developed countries. This is coupled with India's lack of appropriate
infrastructure and procedures for its disposal and recycling.
Rapid changes in technology, changes in media
(tapes, software, MP3), falling prices and planned obsolescence have
resulted in a fast-growing surplus of electronic waste around the globe.
Technical solutions for recycling are available, but in most cases a legal
framework, a collection system, logistics, and other services need to be
implemented before a technical solution can be applied.
A report by India's Department of Scientific And Industrial Studies shows that e-waste heading into India is increasing by 10%
a year, with nearly all of it heading into urban slums for disassembly - which
means a huge amount of toxins hitting a huge number of people.
The total amount of India’s e-waste imports id
projected to reach 434,000 metric tons this year, and about 25,000 people in
the country’s slums will make up the bulk of the recycling industry there.
Maharashtra
generates the most waste from electrical and electronic equipment in the
country.
HAZARDS
E-waste is much more hazardous than many other municipal wastes
because electronic gadgets contain thousands of components made of deadly
chemicals and metals like lead, cadmium, chromium, mercury, polyvinyl chlorides
(PVC), brominated flame retardants, beryllium, antimony and phthalates. Long-
term exposure to these substances damages the nervous systems, kidney and
bones, and the reproductive and endocrine systems, and some of them are
carcinogenic and neurotoxins. Primitive recycling or disposal of e-waste to
landfills and incinerators causes irreversible environmental damage by
polluting water and soil, and contaminating air.
GREEN PEACE
REPORT-2005
About 25,000 workers are employed at scrap-yards in Delhi alone, where 10,000
to 20,000 tons of e-waste is handled every year, with computers accounting for
25 percent of it. Other e-waste scrap- yards exist in Meerut, Firozabad,
Chennai, Bangalore and Mumbai.
MEASUREMENT OF E-WASTE
The
exponential speeds with which e-commodities are getting obsolete, coupled with
the lax attitude towards their disposal have all but led to a serious
environmental and health hazard. This is especially true of countries like
India, which are already strained by the
demands of education, health, poverty of vast stretches of the population in
its march towards development. Interestingly, an added sweet poison for India
has been its propensity to import e-waste.
A simple math can show up the cost of dismantling a PC in India to be a
fraction of that in the U.S. Essentially it implies that India is a dumping ground for
the west. Compounding the issue is the extra-legal nature of the trade,
which makes it near impossible to measure the exact amounts of e-waste recycled or disposed off. This all, in
gross contravention to the Basel norms laid down for the management of toxic
wastes.
Independent
studies have given an estimate of this e-waste to be about five million tons
annually. But this is quite conservative because it takes into account only
three segments, namely televisions, PC’s and mobile phones, which are but a
mere thirty percent of the total electronic products in
market. To translate these numbers into a cumulative sum gives about fifteen
million tons of e-waste or about one and a half kilos per
capita annually in India. To mark out the associated health hazards to humans
requires but a cursory glance to secondary school science text-books. A
presence of such metals as Mercury, Cobalt, Barium, Arsenic etc. requires the
waste management techniques to be of the highest standard, which unfortunately
the laws of economics do not allow. Thus a true picture of the damage to a land
inhabited by a continent sized population, its ecology and society has largely
been ignored.
A
measurement of the e-waste phenomenon requires first of all a
proper definition of the term ‘e-waste’ which can serve as a guiding light in
its measurement. For this many of the local ad hoc rules and laws framed with
respect to e-waste need to be re-visited. Thus can be
drafted a comprehensive classification of the concept. Next is a correct
knowledge of the variables involved like an assessment of India’s trade volume, its import regime, the number
of recycling units and disposal yards, and the various e-waste management techniques employed. Along
with this, the stakeholders such as the concerned ministry, the pollution
control boards, the various manufacturers, recyclers etc.
need to be identified. Lastly there is a need for a careful recognition of the
various downsides to the measurement of the issue. These could be the practices
to fudge data, resistance to the correct record of measurement amongst others.
In essence any deterrents need to be documented as they can provide more than
an indication to the draft of the final policy.
REGULATING AUTHORITIES AND ENFORCEMENT
AGENCIES
The
Magna Carta of E-waste management in India was laid down by the parliament in
May 2010 in the shape of “E-waste
(management and handling) rules 2010”.
This
act under chapter 3 empowers the State pollution control board or Committee on
pollution control in union territories constituted under section 4 of Water
(Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act 1974 to enforce the provisions of
this act and other acts for effective e-waste management in India.
Schedule
3: List of Authorities and their corresponding duties.
|
Sr. No.
|
Authority
|
Corresponding Duties
|
|
1.
|
Central
Pollution Control Board, Delhi
|
·
Coordination with SPCB/Committees of UT’s.
·
Preparation of guidelines for environmentally sound
management of e-waste.
·
Conduct assessment of e-waste generation and processing.
·
Recommend standards and specifications for processing and
recycling e-waste.
·
Documentation, compilation of data on e-waste and
uploading on websites of CPCB.
·
Conducting training and awareness program.
·
Submit annual report to the ministry.
·
Enforcement of provisions regarding reduction in use of
hazardous substance in manufacture of electronic equipment.
·
Initiatives for IT Industry for reducing hazardous
substance.
·
Incentive and certification for GREEN DESIGN/PRODUCTS.
|
|
2.
|
State
Pollution Control Boards (SPCB)/ Committees of union territories.
|
·
Inventorization of e-waste.
·
Grant and renewal of authorization.
·
Registration of recyclers of e-waste.
·
Monitoring compliance of authorization and registration
conditions.
·
Maintain information on the condition imposed for
authorization etc.
·
Implementation of programs to encourage environmentally
sound recycling.
·
Action against violation of these rules.
·
Any other function delegated by the ministry.
|
|
3.
|
Urban
local bodies (Municipal Committee/Council/corporation)
|
·
To ensure that e-waste if found with municipal solid waste
is properly segregated, collected and is channelized to either authorized
collection centre or dismantler or recycler.
·
To ensure that e-waste pertaining to orphan products is
collected and channelized to either authorized collection centre or
dismantler or recycler.
|
RESPONSIBILTY
OF PRODUCER AND CONSUMER FOR MANAGEMENT AND DISPOSAL OF E-WASTE
Chapter 2 of E-waste (management and
handling) rules 2010
casts responsibilities on Producer, Collection centers, consumers, dismantlers
and recyclers for effective management and disposal of e-waste.
RESPONSIBILTY OF THE
PRODUCER OF ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT:
·
Collecting
and channelizing for recycling or disposal e-waste generated during
manufacture.
·
Principle
of “Extended Producer Responsibility”- Collecting end of life products and
channelizing for recycle.
·
Setting
collection centers.
·
Financing
and organizing a transparent system to meet the principle of extended producer
responsibility either individually or collectively
·
Providing
consumers with information of collection centers to facilitate return of used
electronic equipment.
·
Creating
awareness of: -
a.
Hazardous
constituents in the electronic equipment.
b.
Hazards
of improper handing, accidental breakage or improper recycling of e-waste.
c.
Instruction
for handling the equipment after its use- do’s and don’ts.
d.
Putting
symbols on the electronic equipment to prevent e-waste from being dropped in
garbage bins for disposal.
·
Maintaining
of records of e-waste handled and make them available for scrutiny by SPCB.
RESPONSIBILTY OF CONSUMER:
·
Consumer
shall ensure channelization of e-waste to authorized collection centers or
dismantlers or recyclers or the producer under take back policy.
·
Bulk
consumer shall maintain record of e-waste generated by them and make such
records available for scrutiny by SPCB or PCC.
INITIATIVES AND
AWARENESS PROGRAMMES BY GOVERNMENT FOR E-WASTE MANGEMENT:
§
TREATMENT/DISPOSAL FACILTY: Common
treatment, storage, and disposal facilities (TSDFs) have been developed for the
disposal of land- disposable hazardous waste at 26 different places in 13
states.
§
CO-INCINERATION OF HIGH
CALORIFIC VALUE WASTE: CPCB has carried out trial runs for co-incineration of high
calorific value hazardous waste streams such as Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP)
sludge, TDI (toluene di-isocyanate) tar waste, paint sludge, refinery sludge,
and tyre chips in cement kilns. The CPCB has also issued guidelines on
co-processing of waste in cement, power, and steel industry sectors in February
2010.
§
WASTE MINIMISATION CIRCLES: To reduce and utilize the
waste generated by SMEs, waste minimization circles (WMCs) have been
established. These aim to reduce both resource and energy intensity in the
participating SME units in a holistic manner. A total 153 WMCs have been
established till date in 41 industrial sectors, which benefit 6000 SME units.
§
E-WASTE RECYCLING
FACILITIES:
According to the CPCB, fourteen e-waste recycling units, with annual installed
capacity to handle 61370 tons of waste have been set up in different parts of the
country.
§
INVENTORY OF ABANDONED
DUMPS:
Inventory of abandoned dumps was carried out by SPCBs. There are at present 92
abandoned dumps spread across various states. Rehabilitation of these waste
dumps has been initiated by respective SPCBs. A pilot project for remediation
of contaminated sites and to draw up the National Action Plan with the
assistance of the World Bank has been under taken.
§
FLY ASH UTILIZATION: Due to sustained efforts
the utilization of fly-ash has gone up also generating revenue for power
plants.
§
CLEAN TECHNOLOGY INITIATIVE: Clean technologies, as
distinct from ‘end-of- pipe’ abatement technologies, minimize the generation of
waste streams in the production processes and utilize waste from other
processes, rather than treating the waste after generation.
Key Initiatives taken by the ministry are:
§
Development and adoption of clean technology options for Small
and Medium scale Enterprises (SMEs).
§
Financial assistance for pilot-scale demonstration projects to
research institutions of the country for development and promotion of clean
technology.
§
The Ministry has taken initiatives to create a Database for
Clean Technologies available in India and abroad and networking of all the
research institutions that are engaged in developing clean technologies.
§
A study has also been initiated to find out the possibilities to
provide financial assistance to SMEs and to develop capacity building in the
financial institutions for quick appraisal of the clean technology projects
§
HAZARDOUS WASTE RECYCLING: The CPCB provides
registration to facilities equipped to recycle hazardous waste. Registration is
provided for waste processors in the following categories:
§
Lead waste processing.
§
Non-ferrous metal processing.
§
Used/waste oil processing.
§
E-waste recycling.
§
Paint sludge processing.
§
AWARENESS CREATION: CPCB has created a
40-minute video for imparting training and creating awareness.
Apart from the above magnificent policy decision taken by the
government for the effective management of e-waste some of the comprehensive
steps in this field are:
§ E-Parisaraa: is the first
government-authorized eco- friendly recycling unit which makes full use of
e-waste. The plant, which is India’s first scientific e-waste recycling unit,
aims to reduce pollution, landfill waste and recover valuable metals, plastics
and glass from waste in an eco-friendly manner.
§
Earth Sense Recycle Private Limited: Earth Sense Recycle Private
Limited is the joint venture between
the E-Parisaraa Private Limited and M/S. GJ Multiclave India Private Limited,
which is a bio-medical waste handling and management company.This company came
into existence in the year 2000 and they recycle all types of e-wastes
including de-bound assets and other electrical and electronic equipment.
§
Trishyiraya Recycling India Pvt. Ltd (TPL): is the Indian company that
offers safe and reliable disposal of e-waste. The Govt. of India as well as the
Pollution Control Board has certified the company. It has constant surveillance
mechanisms like CCTV Monitors etc.TPL feels proud of its innovative technology
that helps recycle E-Waste. Adding feather to its cap is the ‘Total Termination
Process’ that is completely pollution free. There is no contamination of water
or air and, no sound pollution either.
§
Plug-in to eCycling: It is a partnership of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and
consumer electronics manufacturers, retailers, and service providers that offer
more opportunities to donate or recycle - to "eCycle" used
electronics.
Saahas, the non- governmental
organization (NGO) involved in this pioneering effort, plans to hold campaigns
in government offices to create awareness about e-waste and the need to dispose
it safely 12 and environment- friendly disposal and recycling of e-waste.
Toll-free telephone number is provided to get e-waste picked up from home and
recycled.
MAIT-The
Manufacturers’ Association for Information Technology has incubated an Electronics
Recyclers’ Association (ERA) to organize electronic waste (e-waste) handling in
an environment-friendly manner. ERA will initially comprise nine members, of
whom six are e-waste processors and three are executive members.
CONCLUSION
The e-waste is going to become a great challenge for
environmentalists and technologists, as the rate of growth is much higher than
the rate it is disposed, reused or recycled. There is an urgent need for
improvement in e-waste management covering technological improvement, operation
plan, implementing a protective protocol for the workers working in e-waste
disposal and educating public about this emerging issue posing a threat to the
environment as well as public health.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
A.
Report to the people on environment and forest (2009-10)- Ministry
of Environment and Forests.
B.
E-waste (management and handling) rules 2010. Ministry of
Environment and Forests.
C. E-waste management: An emerging environment
and health issue in India: A Review article by Ajeet Saoji.
D.
E-waste rule puts onus on producer. 12th June 2011.
Available from http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com.
E.Internet sources:
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