Things To Know About The New E-Waste Management Rules

Behind the information technology (IT) revolution that India has seen in recent past lies a humongous pile of electronic waste (e-waste) . According to government data, 1.7 million tonnes of e-waste is generated in the country every year, and the number is increasing at the rate of five per cent a year.

The mighty dump

When the IT wave swept India following the economic liberalisation starting the early 90s, it also left an overwhelming pile of garbage on the country's shores. Given their tendency to severely harm environmental and human health, managing e-waste has been a concern area for countries across the world. However, for developing ones like India, which imports huge quantiles of electric and electronic materials, this is even more serious. According to government data, in 2009, India generated 5.9 million tonnes of hazardous waste domestically, and imported 6.4 million tonnes.

What amounts to e-waste?

Electronic and electrical appliances that are no longer fit for use fall in the category of e-waste. It may include computers, mobile phones, typewriters, chargers, remotes, compact discs, headphones, batteries, LCD/Plasma TVs, air conditioners, refrigerators and other household appliances.

Legal obligations

In what could be termed as the government's commitment to environmental governance, e-waste management norms have been made more stringent by the E-Waste Management Rules, 2016. Introduced in March this year, the rules supersede the ones introduced earlier in 2011.

PropGuide takes a look at the different tweaks in the 2011 rules:

The authority

State-wise extended producer responsibility (EPR) authorisation has been replaced by a pan-Indian EPR authorisation by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB)  

Additional stakeholders

Manufacturer, dealer, refurbisher and producer responsibility organisations are covered under the rules now. Producers, consumers, collection centres, dismantlers and recyclers were already under the ambit of the law.

The new rules cover components, consumables, spares and parts of electrical and electronic equipment, compact fluorescent lamps (CFL) and other mercury-containing lamps. The rules earlier applied only to electrical and electronic equipment.

 Collection mechanism

Under extended producer responsibility (EPR) , producers will collect e-waste through collection points and take-back systems. Producers will be given an option to set up e-waste exchange and deposit refund scheme for better waste channelisation. Urban local bodies will collect and channelise orphan products to authorised dismantler or recycler.

Manufacturers now are also responsible to collect e-waste generated during the manufacture of any electrical and electronic equipment and channelise it for recycling.

Dealer will collect the e-waste by providing the consumer a box and channelise it to the producer.

The new scheme

Deposit-refund schemes are introduced as an additional economic instrument. Under the scheme, the producer charges an additional amount as a deposit at the time of sale of electrical and electronic equipment and returns the amount to the consumer along with interest when these equipment are returned as e-waste.

Fixing liability

State industry departments will ensure allocation of space for e-waste dismantling and recycling.

State labour departments will ensure registration of workers involved in dismantling and recycling, apart from assisting formation of groups of such workers to facilitate setting up dismantling facilities. They will also monitor the overall operations.

To prevent any leakage of e-waste during transportation, the new rules put in place a manifest system under which a transporter has to carry a document prepared by the sender, along with all the details. The earlier norms did not have any such specifications.

A financial penalty is proposed for any damages to the environment due to improper e-waste management. The 2011 rules did not have such provisions.

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