Module-5
Electronic Waste (E-Waste)
Management – Issues and Status in India
and Globally, E-Waste Management Rules
2016 and Management Challenges.
E-waste Management
• Collection – Gathering e-waste from homes,
businesses, or drop-off centers.
• Segregation – Sorting e-waste into usable
and non-usable parts.
• Dismantling – Carefully taking apart devices
to separate valuable components.
• Recycling – Extracting metals and materials
for reuse.
• Disposal – Safely disposing of non-recyclable
and hazardous waste in landfills or
incinerators.
E-Waste in India
• As one of the world's largest consumers of
electronic products, India generates a
significant amount of e-waste annually.
• Volume: According to the Central Pollution
Control Board (CPCB), India generated over
1.7 million tonnes of e-waste in 2021–22.
The number has been steadily increasing.
• Global Ranking: India is the third-
largest e-waste generator in the world
after China and the USA.
• The
Indian Cellular and Electronics Association
(ICEA)
has released a comprehensive report
titled 'Pathways to Circular Economy in the
Indian Electronics Sector.
• This report highlights the urgent need
to rethink e-waste management and
explore opportunities to harness its
potential.
• According to the ICEA report, e-waste
management in India is predominantly informal,
with approximately 90% of e-waste collection
and 70% of recycling being managed by a
competitive informal sector.
Department of Information Technology
Major Issues in E-Waste Management in
India
a. Informal Sector Dominance
• Around 95% of e-waste is handled by the informal
sector, where recycling is done manually without safety
measures.
b. Lack of Awareness
• Many consumers are unaware of proper disposal methods
or the environmental impact of e-waste.
c. Inadequate Infrastructure
• The formal sector lacks adequate collection,
transportation, and recycling facilities.
e. Producer Responsibility Gaps
• Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) mandates
producers to take back e-waste, but compliance and
monitoring are inconsistent.
Policy Developments and Industry
Response
• Mandatory Recycling Payments: The Indian
government has implemented a policy requiring
producers to pay a minimum of ₹22 per kilogram
to recyclers for environmentally sound disposal
of electronic appliances. This move aims to
formalize the predominantly informal e-waste
sector.
• Industry Pushback: Major electronics
manufacturers, including LG and Samsung, have
challenged the new policy, arguing that it
imposes excessive costs on manufacturers and
benefits recyclers unfairly .
• Local Initiatives and Community Engagement.
E-Waste Collection Drives: The Young Indians
(Yi) Madurai Chapter has initiated a month-long e-
waste collection drive, encouraging residents and
businesses to responsibly dispose of obsolete
electronic items. Collected e-waste will be
transported to authorized recycling centres
approved by the Madurai Corporation .
Repair and Reuse Culture: In New Delhi’s Nehru
Place and other Indian metro repair markets,
technicians are revitalizing discarded electronics to
create affordable “Frankenstein” laptops. This
movement reflects India’s ingrained repair culture,
promoting sustainability and reducing e-waste .
E-Waste (Management) Rules
E-Waste (Management) Rules 2022:
– Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR):
Producers are mandated to achieve annual recycling
targets via registered recyclers.
• EPR certificates ensure accountability for recycled
products.
– Expanded Product Coverage: Inclusion of
106 Electrical and Electronic Equipment
(EEE) items from FY 2023-24 (up from 21 items).
– Integration of Bulk Consumers: Public
institutions and offices must dispose of e-waste via
registered recyclers/refurbishers.
• Registered recyclers and refurbishers are tasked with
managing e-waste collection and processing.
Extended Producer
Responsibility
• This is a policy approach that makes
producers responsible for their
products along the entire lifecycle,
including at the post-consumer stage.
• The concept of EPR responsibility is
based on three foundation
principles:
– Pollution prevention approach
– Life cycle thinking,
– Polluter pay principle
EPR responsibility Certificate is authorized
by Central Pollution Control Board which is
mandatory for Producers/Importers of the
Electronic products.
E-Waste (management and handling) Rules,
2016 adopted Extended Producers
Responsibility for the first time in India.
The producers are required to have an
arrangement with dismantlers and recyclers
through either the Producers
responsibility organization or the E-Waste
exchange system.
What are the National and International Conventions Related to E-waste Management?
• Basel Convention on the Control of
Transboundary
Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Di
sposal
(1989).
• Bamako Convention (1991): Prohibits the import
of hazardous waste (including e-waste) into
Africa and controls the transboundary movement of
such waste within the continent.
• Minamata Convention on Mercury (2013)
– India ratified the Minamata Convention in 2018.
Global E-Waste Problem
• International treaties such as Basel Convention
aim at reducing and regulating the movement
of hazardous waste between nations.
• Even with the Convention, illegal shipment and
dumping of e-wastes continue to take place. It
is estimated that 50 million tonnes of e-waste
was generated globally in 2018.
• China, Peru, Ghana, Nigeria, India, and
Pakistan are the biggest recipients of e-waste
from industrialized countries (Mmereki, et al.,
2016).
E-Waste Management Rules 2016
and Management Challenges.
E-Waste Management Rules, 2016 are a
set of regulations notified by the Ministry of
Environment, Forest and Climate Change
(MoEFCC), Government of India, under the
Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.
These rules came into effect on October 1,
2016, replacing the earlier E-Waste
(Management and Handling) Rules,
2011, and were later amended in 2018 and
2022.
Highlights E-Waste Management Rules, 2016
• Covers a wide range of electrical and
electronic equipment (EEE), including
computers, mobile phones, TVs, refrigerators,
printers, batteries, and others.
• Also applies to components, consumables,
spares, and parts of EEE.
Extended Producer
Responsibility
• This is a policy approach that makes
producers responsible for their
products along the entire lifecycle,
including at the post-consumer stage.
• The concept of EPR responsibility is
based on three foundation
principles:
– Pollution prevention approach
– Life cycle thinking,
– Polluter pay principle
EPR responsibility Certificate is authorized
by Central Pollution Control Board which is
mandatory for Producers/Importers of the
Electronic products.
E-Waste (management and handling) Rules,
2016 adopted Extended Producers
Responsibility for the first time in India.
The producers are required to have an
arrangement with dismantlers and recyclers
through either the Producers
responsibility organization or the E-Waste
exchange system.
Responsibilities of Key Stakeholders
• Labeling and Information
All electrical and electronic equipment
must be labeled with:
– ‘Do Not Dispose in Trash’ symbol.
– Details of the take-back mechanism.
– RoHS compliance (Restriction of
Hazardous Substances).
• E-Waste (Management) Second Amendment
Rules, 2023: Under Rule 5 of E-Waste
(Management) Rules, 2022, clause 4 was
added to ensure safe, accountable, and
sustainable refrigerant management in
refrigeration and air-conditioning manufacturing.
• E-Waste (Management) Amendment Rules,
2024:
– Centralized online EPR portal for registration
and tracking.
– Penalties and environmental compensation for
non-compliance.
– Introduced the concept of digital certificates for
e-waste recycling.
