Chapter 1 Introduction The term ‘e-waste’ is generally understood to refer to any old, obsolete, end-of-life appliances using electricity which have been disposed off by their owners. E-waste thus would include discarded old computers, television sets, refrigerators, telecommunication equipment, laboratory equipment, and other handheld gadgets – basically any electrical or electronic appliance that has reached its end-of-life. 'e-waste' means waste electrical and electronic equipment whole or in part or rejects from their manufacturing, refurbishment and repair process which are intended to be discarded as waste. (Draft e-waste Rules, 2015) Why important to know about e-waste collection and disposal strategy e-waste has been one of the fastest growing waste streams in the world. UNEP estimates that upto 90 percent of the world’s electronic waste worth nearly US $ 19 billion, is illegally traded or dumped each year and upto 41 million tonnes of e-waste is generated from goods such as computers and smart phones that is forecasted to reach 50 miilion tonnes by 2017 (UNEP, 2015). Currently, Europe and North America are the largest producers of e-waste, though Asia’s cities are catching up quickly. Arica and Asia are key destinations for large scale shipment of hazardous wastes for dumping and sometimes for recycling. Ghana and Nigeria are among the largest receipients in west Africa, although high volumes of e-waste are also transported to cote d’lvoire and the republic of Congo. In Asia, China, Hong Kong, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and Vietnam appear to bear the brunt of illegal e-waste shipments (UNEP, 2015). 1 The total annual e-waste generated in India in the year 2007 was 3,82,979 MT, including imports in India (GTZ, 2007). While e-waste contains valuable materials such as aluminium, copper, gold, palladium and silver, it also contains harmful substances like cadmium, lead and mercury. In the absence of suitable techniques and protective measures, recycling e-waste can result in toxic emissions to the air, water and soil and pose a serious health and environmental hazards. Valuable materials which include some rare earth metals are lost due to inefficient recycling technologies adopted in informal sector. Safe and scientific collection and channelization of e-waste has various benefits, viz., Economic: Revenue generation from recovered materials such as metals, copper, aluminium, iron, steel, lead, plastic and glass etc. Environmental: Conservation of natural resources by reduction, reuse and recycling lead to reduction in pollution. Social: Employment generation as E-waste can be a secondary source of raw material. Fig 1: Dismantling being carried out by Skilled workers using safety gadgets at Earth Sense Recycling Facility at Hyderabad 2 Table 1: A comparative Evaluation of Formal & Informal Recycling Source: GTZ,2010 Comparative Informal Recycling Formal Recycling Parameters Level of Poor Good Technology Collection Network Excellent Poor Manpower Low skilled High Skilled Major Activities Collection, Dismantling, Collection, Dismantling, Segregation, Refurbishment Segregation& Disposal & Reuse Level of Hygiene Poor Excellent e-WASTE MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES i. The best option for dealing with e-waste is to reduce the volume. ii. Designers should ensure that the product is built for re-use, repair and/or upgradeability. Stress should be laid on use of less toxic, easily recoverable and recyclable materials which can be taken back for refurbishment, remanufacturing, disassembly and reuse. iii. Recycling and reuse of material are the next level of potential options to reduce e- waste (Ramachandra and Saira, 2004). Recovery of metals, plastic, glass and other materials reduces the magnitude of e-waste. These options have a potential to conserve the energy and keep the environment free of toxic material that would otherwise have been released. iv. Sustainability of e-waste management systems has to be ensured by improving the effectiveness of collection and recycling systems (e.g., public–private-partnerships in setting up buy-back or drop-off centres) and by designing-in additional funding e.g., advance recycling fees. v. The e-waste trade value chain as depicted in Figure 2 shows the complexity of the e- waste flow within India. Not only does the e-waste has a number of different points of 3 origin, but the different stakeholders involved in the value chain are also interlinked with each other. Accordingly, the e-waste does not follow one set path. Fig.2 : Flow of E-waste in India (Source: Anon, 2010) 4 Chapter 2 Status of implementation of e-waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 2011 in J&K and Highlights of E-wasteManagement Rules, 2016 As under EPR, number of Producers have complied under Rules and collection mechanism has been established both individually and collectively i. Individual Collection Centre has been established by M/s Auctus E-Recycling Solutions Pvt. Ltd. as per agreement with LG company and M/s FedEx TSCS” by Bluestar Ltd. ii. Common Collection Centre in the name and style of “M/s Attero Recycling Pvt. Ltd.” as per agreement with Producers such as Samsung, Videocon, Haier, Acer, HCL, IFB, Intex, PE Electronics Ltd., P.P. Electronics & Voltas.. Fig.3: Common Collection centre (Attero Recycling Pvt. Ltd.) 5 Fig. 4: Common Collection centre (Auctus E-Recycling Solutions Pvt. Ltd.) iii. Collection points have also been identified by other Producers, viz., HP, NOKIA, Whirlpool, Carrier AC & Refrigeration Ltd. & Sony. iv. Followed by two workshops conducted by J&K SPCB, awareness drive was initiated by Bluestar Ltd. in association with Earth Sense Recyclers and supported by J&K SPCB, Jammu. Further directions have also been issued to other Producers to conduct awareness regarding EPR implementation in the State. Fig.5: Mobile collection van being flagged off at J&K SPCB, Jammu 6 E-waste (Management) Rules, 2016 These Rules notified by MoEF in supersession of the e-waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 2011 shall apply to every manufacturer, producer, consumer, bulk consumer, collection centres, dealers, Refurbishers, dismantler and recycler involved in manufacture, sale, transfer, purchase, collection, storage and processing of e-waste or electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) listed in Schedule 1, including their components, consumables and spare parts which make the product operational and shall not apply to- (a) Batteries as covered under the Batteries (Management and Handling) Rules, 2001 made under the Act; (b) micro enterprises as defined in the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Act, 2006 (27 of 2006); and (b) Radioactive wastes as covered under the provisions of the Atomic Energy Act, 1962 (33 of 1962) and rules made there under. Highlights of E-waste (Management) Rules, 2016 Definitions i. ‘Extended Producer Responsibility’ (EPR) means responsibility of any producer of electrical or electronic equipment, for their products beyond manufacturing until environmentally sound management of their end-of-life products; ii. ‘Extended Producer Responsibility - Authorisation’ means a permission given by Central Pollution Control Board to a producer, for managing Extended Producer Responsibility. iii. ‘Producer Responsibility Organisation’ means a professional organization authorized or financed collectively or individually by producers, which can take the responsibility for collection and channelization of e-waste generated from the ‘end-of-life’ of their products to ensure environmentally sound management of such e- waste; iv. 'Collection centre' means a centre or a collection point or both established by producer individually or as association jointly to collect e-waste for channelising the e-waste to 7 recycler and play such role as indicated in the authorisation for Extended Producer Responsibility granted to the producer and having facilities as per the guidelines of Central Pollution Control Board, including the collection centre established by the dismantler or Refurbishers or recycler which should be a part of their authorisation issued by the State Pollution Control Board where the facility exists; v. 'dealer' means any individual or firm that buys or receive electrical and electronic equipment as listed in Schedule –I of these rules and their components or consumables or parts or spares from producers for sale; vi. ‘deposit refund scheme’ means a scheme whereby the producer charges an additional amount as a deposit at the time of sale of the electrical and electronic equipment and returns it to the consumer along with interest when the end- of-life electrical and electronic equipment is returned; vii. 'e-waste' means electrical and electronic equipment, whole or in part discarded as waste by the consumer or bulk consumer as well as rejects from manufacturing, refurbishment and repair processes; viii. ‘Producer’ means any person who, irrespective of the selling technique used; i. manufactures and offers to sell electrical and electronic equipment; or\ under his own brand ii. offers to sell under his own brand, assembled electrical and electronic equipment produced by other manufacturers or suppliers; or iii. offers to sell imported electrical and electronic equipment; ix. ‘Producer Responsibility Organisation’ means a professional organization authorised or financed collectively or individually by producers, which can take the responsibility for collection and channelisation of e-waste generated from the ‘end-of-life’ of their products to ensure environmentally sound management