E-WASTE (MANAGEMENT) RULES 2016

Problems facing the E-waste management system in India?
India generates about eight lakh tonnes of e-waste annually, while 151 registered recycling facilities can handle only half of that quantum.

Q

A
Problems facing the E-waste management system in India?
  • India generates about eight lakh tonnes of e-waste annually, while 151 registered recycling facilities can handle only half of that quantum.
  • There are no systematic studies on India’s waste generation, a problem that is probably much bigger than commonly believed.
  • Producers and consumers of electronic goods have a responsibility under the E-waste (Management and Handling) Rules 2011 to ensure proper disposal, but progress has been slow for various reasons.
  • In spite of its growing environmental footprint, sound management of electronic waste has received low priority.
  • Urban solid waste management policy has focussed on cleaning streets and transferring garbage to landfills, ignoring the legal obligation to segregate and recycle. Hazardous materials, including heavy metals, are dumped in garbage yards, polluting soil and water.
What are the key features of new rules?
  • The rules provide several options to manufacturers — such as collection of a refundable deposit and paying for the return of goods — to meet the requirements of law.
  • The new rules classify mercury-laden light bulbs as e-waste, which will keep them out of municipal landfills.
  • Bulk consumers have to file annual returns, another welcome move
  • The collection targets, that will touch 70 per cent in seven years, are realistic.
What should be done to implement the rules?
  • The new rules proposed by the Ministry of Environment and Forests to manage electronic waste must be implemented with firm political.
  • An awareness campaign on e-waste will make it easier to implement the rules.
  • The success of the new rules will depend on incentivising such consumers to enter the formal recycling channel using the producer-operated buy-back scheme. They will come on board when the repurchase offer is better than that of the unorganised sector and a collection mechanism is available. The Centre and the States have a responsibility to ensure that producers contribute to the e-waste management system, which has been designed with their inputs.

WORD FROM TEAM GS-SCORE –

Context

Ministry of Environment and Forests proposes E-waste (Management) Rules 2016
Relevant for Environment of GS:3
For further detail Refer article titled “Pay consumers to take back e-waste” from The Hindu dated march 28, 2016

 

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