E-waste Management

Why in the News?

A proposed framework by the Centre for regulating e-waste in India has threatened the informal sector.

Key Points:

What is e-waste:

• Electronic waste (e-waste), that is, waste arising from end-of-life electronic products such as computers, mobile phones and other discarded electronic appliances.
• It includes their components, consumables, parts and spares.

Electronic-Waste in India:

• According to a 2020 report by the Central Pollution Control Board, India generated 10,14,961 tonnes of e-waste in FY 2019-2020 – up 32% from FY 2018-2019.
  • Only 22.7 per cent of the e-waste was collected, dismantled, and recycled or disposed off. 

E-waste Management Rules, 2016:

• The Central Government under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, notified e-waste management rules in 2016.
• It notified 21 types of electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) e-waste.
• It introduced a system of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR).
• It extends the responsibility to producers to manage a system of e-waste collection, storage, transportation, and dismantling and recycling through Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR).
• The rules also promote and encourage the establishment of an efficient e-waste collection mechanism. 
• Most companies however did not maintain an in-house unit in charge of recycling and this gave rise to a network of government-registered companies, called Producer Responsibility Organisations (PRO).
• PRO acted as an intermediary between manufacturers of electronic goods and formal recycling units.

E-waste (Management) Amendment Rules, 2018:

• It further formalizes the sectors by channelizing the e-waste generated towards authorized dismantlers and recyclers.
• Under these rules, a PRO shall apply to the Central Pollution Control Board for registration to undertake the activities prescribed for Producer Responsibility Organisations.

New Draft Notification:

• In May 2022, the Ministry issued a draft notification that does away with the PROs and dismantlers.
• The number of categories of e-waste has been increased from 21 to 95.
• It shifted responsibility for controlling e-waste away from producers of goods to recyclers.

• Introduced a system of tradable certificates similar to carbon credits.

Benefits: 

• It would improve accountability because it would track the material that went in for recycling with the output claimed by a recycler.
• It will incentivise them to invest in a dependable supply chain that will collect and recycle waste.

Criticism:

• Job Loss: 25,000 to 30,000 people were employed in the PROs.
• Lack of accountability: The proposed rules shifted responsibility for controlling e-waste away from producers of goods to recyclers.
• Investment loss for established PROs.

Conclusion: 

• The draft e-waste Rules propose a few positive changes, including expanding the definition of e-waste, more clearly specifying the penalties for violation of rules, etc.
• The changes it proposes require careful deliberation with all the relevant stakeholders before the Rules are finalised.