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Extended Producer Responsibility in a Non-Oecd Context

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Extended Producer Responsibility in a Non-Oecd Context EXTENDED PRODUCER RESPONSIBILITY IN A NON-OECD CONTEXT: THE MANAGEMENT OF WASTE ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT IN INDIA PANATE MANOMAIVIBOOL, THOMAS LINDHQVIST, NAOKO TOJO REPORT COMMISSIONED BY GREENPEACE INTERNATIONAL ©Behring/Greenpeace Colophon © August 2007 Lund University International Institute for Industrial and Environmental Economics P.O. Box 196 221 00 Lund Sweden ISBN: 987-91-88902-41-2 Cover photo: Greenpeace/Behring Design: Pé de Wit Print: Macula, Boskoop, Netherlands Produced on recycled chlorine-free paper Migrant workers take apart electric devices in Guiyu, China. 2 PROLOGUE BY GREENPEACE INTERNATIONAL Greenpeace International commissioned this report to test how This is where governments have to step in. EPR laws for e-waste the principle of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for waste implemented globally would level the playing fi eld for the electro- from electronics equipment (e-waste), embodied in EU, Japanese, nics sector – which after all is a global industry. As priority, South Korean and other OECD (Organisation for Economic and governments should not only copy the EU Directives, but learn Co-operation Development) legislation could be applied effectively from their shortfalls and pass stronger regulations. in countries outside of the OECD. Many developing countries host production facilities where Greenpeace believes that laws requiring producers to take res- workers are exposed to the same harmful substances that are later ponsibility for their products, once discarded by their customers, found in the products. There is increasing evidence of even wider are urgently needed worldwide to tackle the global e-waste crisis. worker and community exposure to the toxic chemicals in e-waste Although China has restricted hazardous substances in some when it comes to be recycled. Greenpeace has documented electronic products and both China and Thailand have EU-type the toxic hotspots from e-waste recycling in the backyards and laws for Waste from Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) workshops of India and China1. A recent study simulating the pending, they are the exceptions in the developing world. type of primitive recycling operations prevalent in these countries found alarming levels of chlorinated and brominated dioxins in air There are plenty of reasons why non-OECD countries should emissions and ash during the burning of PVC cables and circuit introduce EPR laws to deal with e-waste and the sooner, the better. boards2. This all points to the need for governments to go beyond the current EU list of restricted substances (RoHS Directive) and Developing countries have growing amounts of their own domestic include PVC (vinyl – a major source of chlorinated dioxins and e-waste with virtually no formal infrastructure to deal with it. They furan when burnt) and all brominated fl ame retardants – not just also import used e-products from the rich world for re-use and those already banned by RoHS. repair, which end their lives as e-waste in places with no formal facilities for their recycling. In addition, many non-OECD countries, Non-OECD countries that allow the import of e-waste for recycling like India and China, accept legal and illegal imports of e-waste, should immediately close their borders to this trade, as it will often under the pretext of re-use, which are subsequently recycled continue to feed the informal recycling sector and hamper the in very primitive conditions. introduction of EPR programmes. Thus, not only must OECD countries stop exports of collected e-waste, the Southern countries E-waste from obsolete consumer products has to be detoxifi ed to - the destinations for this waste - must also stop its import. Toxic enable its safe recycling. Since it is the producers who chose what waste, like e-waste, must be treated as close as possible to the materials to use in the design of their products, only the producers place it is generated. can make the switch to safer materials. Making producers responsible for the waste generated by their products creates the Just as an EPR legislative package must include administrative incentive for their product designers to design out the costs of instruments like RoHS Plus, so non-OECD governments3 must also dealing with toxic waste. include a ban on imports of e-waste and impose strict controls on import for re-use. The products of the same global electronics manufacturers are present throughout the developing world. In countries with EPR Using India as a case study, this investigation acknowledges that laws, like the EU, some US states and Japan, these same compa- although there are serious challenges to introducing EPR legis- nies are fi nancially responsible for dealing with the waste from lation, there are also unique opportunities. The authors conclude their products, meeting collection and recycling targets and other that there are no insurmountable obstacles to the implementation obligations. Yet, in non-OECD, these same companies have no of EPR legislation in India. This analysis of the Indian situation such responsibilities. Although several global mobile phone and can act as an example and encouragement for other non-OECD PC companies are trying to redress these double standards by countries. starting voluntary takeback and recycling programmes, they are hampered by numerous diffi culties. For example, how can these companies guarantee “responsible recycling” in countries where the informal sector dominates the market? Moreover, their less August 2007 responsible competitors are free to continue business as usual greenpeace.org/electronics without the costs of treating the waste from their discarded products. 1 Brigden, K., Labunska, I., Santillo, D., and Allsopp, M. (2005). Recycling of Electronic Wastes in China and India: Workplace and Environmental Contamination. [Online]. Available: http://www.greenpeace.org/international/press/reports/recyclingelectronicwasteindiachinafull 2 Gullet, B. K., Linak, W. P., Touati, A., Wasson, S. J., Gatica, S., King, C. J. (2007). Characterization of air emissions and residual ash from open burning of electronic wastes during simulated rudimentary recycling operations, Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management, 9(1): 69-79. 3 Some non-OECD governments have already banned toxic waste imports as part of ratifying the Basel Ban amendment. l Preface Several reviewers have taken the time to read earlier draft versions This report, commissioned by Greenpeace International, presents of the report and their input is much appreciated and has impro- a four-month research on the possibility of implementing the prin- ved the quality of the report signifi cantly. We would especially like ciple of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for waste electrical to thank external reviewers: David Rochat, India e-Waste Project and electronic equipment (WEEE) in non-OECD countries. The Coordinator; Swiss Federal Laboratories for Material Testing and research, conducted between February and May 2007, selected Research (EMPA); Jim Puckett, Basel Action Network (BAN); India as our case country to investigate. The majority of the work Gregory J. Tyson, Associate Consultant, UNEP/Wuppertal Institute – data collection and compilation of report – has been performed Collaborating Centre on Sustainable Consumption and Production by Panate Manomaivibool. (CSCP); Viktor Sundberg, Vice President Environmental and Euro- The authors would like to thank Greenpeace International and pean Affairs, Electrolux Household Products Europe, and Kieren Greenpeace India for engaging the IIIEE in the topical task of Mayers, UK and Ireland Reverse Logistics Manager, Geodis UK Ltd. examining the possibility of applying EPR in non-OECD countries. for their useful comments. The full responsibility for the report The processes of reviewing experiences and arguments, interac- remains, however, with the authors. ting with stakeholders and observing the reality in India have been both rewarding and challenging and enriched us with a deeper understanding of the principle and of non-OECD countries. Special thanks to Ramapati Kumar, Greenpeace India, who coordinated activities in India. The empirical materials regarding the E-waste management in In- dia constitute an integral part of this report. The authors would like to express our gratitude to the stakeholders in India for their time and invaluable inputs. We would also thank conference participants of the 7th Asian Pacifi c Roundtable for Sustainable Consumption and Production for exchanging ideas. Our gratitude is also directed to alumni of the International Institute for Industrial Environmen- tal Economics (IIIEE) in India for their kind help in verifying our understandings and fi ndings. ©Greenpeace/Behring Remains of an Apple computer in a Chinese scrap yard (Guiyu). ll List of Acronyms ATF ..................................................................................................... Authorised treatment facility B2B ..................................................................................................... Business-to-business B2C ..................................................................................................... Business-to-consumer CFCs ................................................................................................... Chlorofl uorocarbons CPR ..................................................................................................... Collective producer responsibility CRT ....................................................................................................
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