8-Dec-2022: Re-cycling of e-waste

The Government has taken a number of steps to formalise the e-waste recycling sector of the country. The E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2016 provide for compulsory authorisation of the dismantling and recycling units from the concerned State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs)/ Pollution Control Committees (PCCs). CPCB has issued guidelines/SOP for processing of e-waste. The CPCB and SPCBs have been monitoring the units and necessary steps have been taken to mainstream and modernise the recycling industry with the help of Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.

Following steps have been taken by the government in the direction of finding out solution to the problems related to E-Waste:

1. The management of e-waste is being carried out under the frame work of E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2016 and amendments there off. The Rules, are effective from 1st October, 2016. The rules provide for followings:
   • Applicable to every manufacturer, producer, consumer, bulk consumer, collection centres, dealers, e-retailer, refurbisher, dismantler and recycler.
   • Under the EPR regime, producers have to obtain EPR Authorization from CPCB for implementing their EPR and details of their dismantlers/recyclers.
   • Notified EEE are twenty-one (21) and listed in Schedule – I of the above said Rules.
   • Under EPR regime, producers of notified EEE have been given annual E-Waste collection targets based on the generation from the previously sold EEE or based on sales of EEE as the case may be.
2. Ministry has notified the E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2022 on 2nd November, 2022. These rules will replace E-waste (Management) Rules, 2016 and will be effective from 1st April, 2023. These rules will launch a new Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regime for e-waste recycling. The salient feature of new rules is as under:
   • Applicable to every manufacturer, producer, refurbisher, dismantler and recycler.
   • All the manufacturer, producer, refurbisher and recycler are required to register on portal developed by CPCB.
   • No entity shall carry out any business without registration and also not deal with any unregistered entity.
   • Authorization has now been replaced by Registration through online portal and only manufacturer, producer, refurbisher and recycler require Registration.
   • Schedule I expanded and now 106 EEE has been include under EPR regime.
   • Producers of notified EEE, have been given annual E-Waste Recycling targets based on the generation from the previously sold EEE or based on sales of EEE as the case may be. Target may be made stable for 2 years and starting from 60% for the year 2023-2024 and 2024-25; 70% for the year 2025-26 and 2026-27 and 80% for the year 2027-28 and 2028-29 and onwards.
   • Management of solar PV modules /panels/ cells added in new rules.
   • The quantity recycled will be computed on the basis of end products, so as to avoid any false claim.
   • Provision for generation and transaction of EPR Certificate has been introduced.
   • Provisions for environment compensation and verification & audit has been introduced.
   • Provision for constitution of Steering Committee to oversee the overall implementation of these rules.

Under the E-Waste Management Rules, provision for reduction of hazardous substances in manufacturing of Electrical and Electronic Equipment (EEE) has been provided. It mandates that every producer of EEE and their components shall ensure that their products do not contain lead, mercury and other hazardous substances beyond the maximum prescribed concentration.

The E-Waste (Management) Rules also provide for recognition and registration, skill development, monitoring and ensuring safety and health, of workers involved in dismantling and recycling of e-waste.

28-Mar-2022: Illegal Dumping of E-Waste

The import and export of hazardous and other wastes is regulated under the Hazardous and Other Wastes (Management and Transboundary Movement) Rules, 2016 notified by the Ministry. Government had banned import of e-waste in the country by listing e-waste in the Schedule VI (Basel No. A1180) of the said rules.

As per the information provided by the Central Board of Indirect Taxes & Customs (CBIC), Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance, there were a total 29 cases of illegal import of e-waste detected across the country in the last 3 years including current years.  CBIC, further informed that all field formations and Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) under CBIC keep constant vigil to check illegal import of e-waste into India and take action in accordance with law whenever such contraventions are noticed.   

The management of e-waste in the Country is regulated under the E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2016. Under the said Rules, the responsibility of disposal of e-waste in a scientific and environmentally sound manner has been assigned to Producers of notified Electrical & Electronic Equipment (EEE) as listed in Schedule – I of the said rules under the principle of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR). Under EPR regime producers of EEE, have given annual e-waste collection and recycling targets based on the generation from the previously sold EEE or based on sales of EEE as the case may be.

The compliance monitoring is done through Action Plan developed by Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) for enforcement of E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2016 in the Country. The major action points include identification of Non-EPR Authorization producers, State/UT wise Inventorization of e-waste, verification of system provided by producers for e-waste channelization, verification of facilities of dismantlers/ recyclers, drives for checking informal activities, formulation of State Level Committee for monitoring implementation of rules and mass awareness activities etc. Under the action plan, monitoring and compliance of producers are ensured through Sate Pollution Control Boards and Pollution Control Committees. Further, under the existing rules, provisions are in place for action against the companies who are violating the said rules.

14-Mar-2022: Management of E-waste

Under the E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2016, twenty-one (21) types of electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) have been notified. These notified EEE at the end of their life becomes E-Waste. The input data for estimation of generation of e-waste is available only from Financial Year (FY) 2017 - 18 and for national level generation only. Information on national level e-waste generation for the financial year 2017-18, 2018-19 and 2019-20 is given in the table below:

The import and export of hazardous and other wastes is regulated under the Hazardous and Other Wastes (Management and Transboundary Movement) Rules, 2016 notified by the Ministry. Government had banned import of e-waste in the country by listing e-waste in the Schedule VI (Basel No. A1180) of the said rules. The increase in generation of e-waste is due to increase in the sales of EEE in the Country in previous years.

The management of e-waste in the Country is regulated under the E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2016. Under the said Rules, the responsibility of disposal of e-waste in a scientific and environmentally sound manner has been assigned to Producers of notified Electrical & Electronic Equipment (EEE) as listed in Schedule – I of the said rules under the principle of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR). Under EPR regime producers of EEE, have given annual e-waste collection and recycling targets based on the generation from the previously sold EEE or based on sales of EEE as the case may be. 

The compliance monitoring is done through Action Plan developed by Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) for enforcement of E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2016 in the Country. The major action points include identification of Non-EPR Authorization producers, State/UT wise Inventorization of e-waste, verification of system provided by producers for e-waste channelization, verification of facilities of dismantlers/recyclers, drives for checking informal activities, formulation of State Level Committee for monitoring implementation of rules and mass awareness activities etc. Under the action plan, monitoring and compliance of producers are ensured through Sate Pollution Control Boards and Pollution Control Committees. Further, under the existing rules, provisions are in place for action against the companies who are violating the said rules.

24-Jan-2019: Environment and health at increasing risk from growing weight of ‘e-waste’

To highlight the rising challenge posed by mountains of discarded electronics worldwide, seven UN entities came together to launch the report at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, in a bid to offer some solutions to a behemoth-sized problem that is making the world sicker and adding to environmental degradation.

The joint report, entitled, “A New Circular Vision for Electronics – Time for a Global Reboot”, calls for a new vision for e-waste based on the “circular economy” concept, whereby a regenerative system can minimize waste and energy leakage.

E-waste is a growing global challenge that poses a serious threat to the environment and human health worldwide. To minimize this threat, UNIDO works with various UN agencies and other partners on a range of e-waste projects, all of which are underpinned by a circular economy approach.

According to the report, a deliberative process must be instilled to change the system – one that collaborates with major brands, small and medium-sized enterprises, academia, trade unions and civil society.

Thousands of tonnes of e-waste is disposed of by the world’s poorest workers in the worst of conditions, putting their health and lives at risk. We need better e-waste strategies and green standards as well as closer collaboration between governments, employers and unions to make the circular economy work for both people and planet.

Despite growing e-waste, “A New Circular Vision” points to the importance of technologies from the so-called Internet of Things – a network of devices that contain electronics and the connectivity that allows them to exchange data – through to cloud computing advances, which can all result in smarter recycling and tracking of e-waste.

A circular economy brings with it tremendous environmental and economic benefits for us all. Our planet’s survival will depend on how well we retain the value of products within the system by extending their life.