ELECTRONIC-WASTE

E-waste Generation in India:

• India ranks fifth in the world in generating e-waste, according to the UN’s Global E-Waste Monitor, 2014.
  
  
• According a report by Assocham released in June 2018 –
  • India is among the top five e-waste generating countries in the world besides China, the US, Japan and Germany.
    
    
  • Among states, Maharashtra contributes the largest e-waste of 19.8% but recycles only about 47,810 tonnes per annum (TPA).
    
    
  
  
  

E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2016: Salient features

• E-Waste (Management) Amendment Rules, 2018:Setting up of Producer Responsibility Organizations and e-waste exchange to facilitate collection and recycling,
  
  
• Assigning specific responsibility to bulk consumers of electronic products for safe disposal,
  
  
• Providing for economic incentives for collection of electronic waste, and
  
  
• Simplified permission process for setting up of dismantling and recycling facilities etc.
  
  

In March 2018, government notified the E-Waste (Management) Amendment Rules, 2018 thereby amending the E-Waste Management Rules 2016. Its Salient features are:

1. The e-waste collection targets under Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) have been revised and will be applicable from 1 October 2017.
   1. The phase-wise collection targets for e-waste in weight shall be 10% of the quantity of waste generation during 2017-18, with a 10% increase every year until 2023.
      
      
   2. After 2023 onwards, the target has been made 70% of the quantity of waste generation as indicated in the EPR Plan.
      
      
   
   
   
2. Separate e-waste collection targets have been drafted for new producers, i.e. those producers whose number of years of sales operation is less than the average lives of their products.
   
   
3. It is mandatory for the PROs to register themselves with the CPCB. This will help the CPCB to keep a constant watch on them to check their activities.
   
   
4. Under the Reduction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) provisions, cost for sampling and testing shall be borne by the government for conducting the RoHS test. If the product does not comply with RoHS provisions, then the cost of the test will be borne by the Producers.