E-Waste Management Systems

Sukhkaran Singh
Samridhi Sehgal Taniya Gupta
COE-2
COE-2 COE-2
Thapar Institute of Engineering
Thapar Institute of Engineering Thapar Institute of Engineering
and Technology
and Technology and Technology
Patiala, India
Patiala, India Patiala, India
Gurpreet Singh
COE-2 Ishika Sofat
Thapar Institute of Engineering COE-2
and Technology Thapar Institute of Engineering
Patiala, India and Technology
Patiala, India
 II. E-WASTE IN INDIA
IT and telecom are two fastest growing industries in the
Abstract— Industrial revolution and advances in country. India, by 2011, has achieved a PC penetration of 95
information technology has led to generation of huge per 1000 from the 14 per 1000 in 2008. Indians do not junk
amounts of ‘E-Waste’. E-waste refers to unwanted, obsolete their mobiles, but pass them on to a new low-end user who
or unusable electronic and electrical product. Managing e- will, in turn, junk them in the flea market from where the
waste has become quite a challenge. Governments and instruments make their way to the Kabadiwallas. India is the
private organization have to play a crucial and responsible fifth biggest producer of e-waste in the world; discarding 1.7
role in order to properly manage electronic waste. Proper million tonnes (Mt) of electronic and electrical equipment in
inventory and management has been very necessary in order 2014. In India E-waste collection, transportation,
to reduce the negative impacts of e waste in human lives and segregation, dismantling, recycling and disposal is done
maintain prosperity in society. It could be made possible manually by untrained labors in informal sector. Due to low
through the consultation with different E-waste experts and awareness and sensitization e-waste is thrown along with
the assessment of unorganized small scale industrial houses. garbage which is collected and segregated by rag pickers
A large amount of e-waste is actually not waste at all, but Top ten e-waste producing states in India
rather whole electronic equipment or parts that can be
directly reused or can be recycled for equipment recovery. State E-waste MT
To manufacture one computer and monitor, takes 530 lbs of Maharashtra 20270.59
fossil fuel, 48 lbs of chemicals, and 1.5 tons of water. So Tamil Nadu 13486.24
recycling 1 million laptops saves the energy equivalent to Andhra Pradesh 12780.33
the electricity used by 3,657 U.S. homes in a year. For every Uttar Pradesh 10381.11
1 million cell phones that are recycled, 35,274 lbs of copper, West Bengal 10059.36
772 lbs of silver, 75 lbs of gold, and 33 lbs of palladium can Delhi 9729.15
be recovered. Only 12.5% of e-waste is currently recycled. Karnataka 9118.74
In this report, we have discussed different recycling Gujarat 8994.33
processes for different types of e-waste. Madhya Pradesh 7800.62
Punjab 6958.46
I. GENERATION OF E-WASTE
Top ten e-waste producing cities
With the advent of newer technology day by day many new
electronic devices are entering the market. Whenever a new
City E-waste MT
device containing a newer technology is introduced in the
market many devices are discarded which gets its way either Ahmadabad 3286.5
Bangalore 4648.4
Chennai 4132.2
In the waste dump, or with the scrap dealer or in the Delhi 9730.3
municipal waste like landfills, etc. The same happened when Hyderabad 2833.5
windows operating system came into the market. All the Kolkata 4025.3
companies had to dump their computers and buy new ones. Mumbai 11017.1
Also, the entry of personal computers in the common man’s Nagpur 1768.9
life increased global e-waste manifold. Many mobile Pune 2584.2
companies lure customers to discard their old sets and buy Surat 1836.5
new ones. They do not realize that they are degrading the
world in which they themselves have to survive.
India is the fifth largest producer of e-waste, with the sector III. HAZARDS OF E-WASTE
showing a growth of 30 percent per annum. It would E-Waste is more hazardous than any other waste because
produce 5.2 million metric tons of e-waste by 2020. The electronic gadgets such as mobile phones, electronic tools,
world’s fastest growing industries are Telecommunications television, computer; contain thousand of components made
of deadly chemicals and metals like lead, cadmium,
mercury. E-waste has been increasing environmental health
issues in both developing and developed countries, but its
And information technology. Manufacturers’ Association for current management practice may result in unintended
Information Technology (MAIT) has collected the following developmental neurotoxicity in vulnerable populations.
statistics on the growth of electronics and IT equipment in There are number of channels through which E-waste goes
India- PC sales were over 7.3 million units during 2007-08, to the environment. E-waste that is land filled produces
growing by 16 per cent while the consumer electronics contaminated lactates. The toxic material present in the
market was found to be growing at the rate of 13-15 percent equipments can be environmental as well as health hazards
annually. like Mercury will leach when certain electronic devices,
such as circuit breakers are destroyed.
 IV. ISSUES RELATED TO E-WASTE IN INDIA
1.VOLUME OF E-WASTE GENERATED -
India stands fifth in e-waste generation producing around
1.7 lakhs metric tonnes per annum
2. Involvement of Child Labor-
In India, about 4.5 lakh child laborers in the age group of
10-14 are observed to be engaged in various E-waste
activities and that too without adequate protection and
safeguards in various yards and recycling workshops. So,
there is an urgent need to bring out effective legislation to
prevent entry of child labor into E-waste market- its
collection, segregation and distribution.
3. Ineffective Legislation-
There is absence of any public information on most
SPCBs/PCC websites. 15 of the 35 PCBs/PCC do not have
any information related to E-waste on their websites, their
key public interface point. Even the basic E-waste Rules and
guidelines have not been uploaded. In absence of any
information on their website, especially on details of
recyclers and collectors of E-waste, citizens and institutional
generators of E- waste are totally at a loss to deal with their
waste and do not know how to fulfill their responsibility. So,
there is failure in successful implementation of E-waste
Management and Handling Rules, 2012.
4. Lack of infrastructure-
There is huge gap between present recycling and collection
facilities and quantum of E-waste that is being generated.
No collection and take back mechanisms are in place. There
is lack of recycling facilities.
5. Health hazards-
E-waste contains over 1,000 toxic materials, which
contaminate soil and ground water. Exposure can cause
headache, irritability, nausea, vomiting, and eye pain.
Recyclers may suffer liver, kidney and neurological
disorders. Due to lack of awareness, they are risking their
health and the environment as well.
6. Lack of incentive schemes-
No clear guidelines are there for the unorganized sector to
handle E-waste. Also no incentives are mentioned to lure
people engaged to adopt formal path for handling E-waste.
Working conditions in the informal recycling sector are only
slightly worse than in the formal sector. No incentive
schemes for producers who are doing something to handle
e-waste.
7. Poor awareness and sensitization-
Limited reach out and awareness regarding disposal, after
determining end of useful life. Also Only 2% of individuals
think of the impact on environment while disposing off their
old electrical and electronic equipment.
8. E-waste imports –
Cross-border flow of waste equipment into India- 80 percent
of E-waste in developed countries meant for recycling is
sent to developing countries such as India, China, Ghana
and Nigeria.
9. Reluctance of authorities’ involved-
Lack of coordination between various authorities
responsible for E-waste management and disposal including
the non-involvement of municipalities.
10. Security implications-
End of life computers often contain sensitive personal
information and bank account details which, if not deleted
leave opportunity for fraud.
V. E-WASTE MANAGEMENT
It is estimated that 75% of electronic items are stored due to
uncertainty of how to manage it. These electronic junks lie
unattended in houses, offices, warehouses etc. and normally
mixed with household wastes, which are finally disposed of
at landfills. This necessitates implementable management
measures.
In industries management of e-waste should begin at the
point of generation. This can be done by waste minimization
techniques and by sustainable product design. Waste
minimization in industries involves adopting:
1. Inventory management,
2. Production-process modification,
3. Volume reduction,
4. Recovery and reuse.
5. Inventory management
Proper control over the materials used in the manufacturing
process is an important way to reduce waste generation. By
reducing both the quantity of hazardous materials used in
the process and the amount of excess raw materials in stock,
the quantity of waste generated can be reduced. This can be
done in two ways i.e. establishing material-purchase review
and control procedures and inventory tracking system.
Developing review procedures for all material purchased is
the first step in establishing an inventory management
program. Procedures should require that all materials be
approved prior to purchase. In the approval process all
production materials are evaluated to examine if they
contain hazardous constituents and whether alternative non-
hazardous materials are available.
Another inventory management procedure for waste
reduction is to ensure that only the needed quantity of a
material is ordered. This will require the establishment of a
strict inventory tracking system. Purchase procedures must
be implemented which ensure that materials are ordered
only on an as-needed basis and that only the amount needed
for a specific period of time is ordered.
Production-process modification
Changes can be made in the production process, which will
reduce waste generation. This reduction can be
accomplished by changing the materials used to make the
product or by the more efficient use of input materials in the
production process or both. Potential waste minimization
techniques can be broken down into three categories:
1. Improved operating and maintenance procedures,
2. Material change and
3. Process-equipment modification.
Improvements in the operation and maintenance of process
equipment can result in significant waste reduction. This can
be accomplished by reviewing current operational
procedures or lack of procedures and examination of the
production process for ways to improve its efficiency.
Instituting standard operation procedures can optimize the
use of raw materials in the production process and reduce
the potential for materials to be lost through leaks and spills.
A strict maintenance program, which stresses corrective
maintenance, can reduce waste generation caused by
equipment failure. An employee-training program is a key
element of any waste reduction program. Training should
include correct operating and handling procedures, proper
equipment use, recommended maintenance and inspection
schedules, correct process control specifications and proper
management of waste materials.
Hazardous materials used in either a product formulation or
a production process may be replaced with a less hazardous
or non-hazardous material. This is a very widely used
technique and is applicable to most manufacturing
processes. Implementation of this waste reduction technique
may require only some minor process adjustments or it may
require extensive new process equipment. For example, a
circuit board manufacturer can replace solvent-based
product with water-based flux and simultaneously replace
solvent vapor degreaser with detergent parts washer.
Installing more efficient process equipment or modifying
existing equipment to take advantage of better production
techniques can significantly reduce waste generation. New
or updated equipment can use process materials more
efficiently producing less waste. Additionally such
efficiency reduces the number of rejected or off-
specification products, thereby reducing the amount of
material which has to be reworked or disposed of.
Modifying existing process equipment can be a very cost-
effective method of reducing waste generation. In many
cases the modification can just be relatively simple changes
in the way the materials are handled within the process to
ensure that they are not wasted. For example, in many
electronic manufacturing operations, which involve coating
a product, such as electroplating or painting, chemicals are
used to strip off coating from rejected products so that they
can be recoated. These chemicals, which can include acids,
caustics, cyanides etc. are often a hazardous waste and must
be properly managed. By reducing the number of parts that
have to be reworked, the quantity of waste can be
significantly reduced.
Volume reduction
Volume reduction includes those techniques that remove the
hazardous portion of a waste from a non-hazardous portion.
These techniques are usually to reduce the volume, and thus
the cost of disposing of a waste material. The techniques
that can be used to reduce waste-stream volume can be
divided into 2 general categories: source segregation and
waste concentration. Segregation of wastes is in many cases
a simple and economical technique for waste reduction.
Wastes containing different types of metals can be treated
separately so that the metal value in the sludge can be
recovered. Concentration of a waste stream may increase the
likelihood that the material can be recycled or reused.
Methods include gravity and vacuum filtration, ultra
filtration, reverse osmosis, freeze vaporization etc.
For example, an electronic component manufacturer can use
compaction equipment’s to reduce volume of waste cathode
ray-tube.
Recovery and reuse
This technique could eliminate waste disposal costs, reduce
raw material costs and provide income from a salable waste.
Waste can be recovered on-site, or at an off-site recovery
facility, or through inter industry exchange. A number of
physical and chemical techniques are available to reclaim a
waste material such as reverse osmosis, electrolysis,
condensation, electrolytic recovery, filtration, centrifugation
etc. For example, a printed-circuit board manufacturer can
use electrolytic recovery to reclaim metals from copper and
tin-lead plating bath.
However recycling of hazardous products has little
environmental benefit if it simply moves the hazards into
secondary products that eventually have to be disposed of.
Unless the goal is to redesign the product to use non-
hazardous materials, such recycling is a false solution.
Sustainable product design
Minimization of hazardous wastes should be at product
design stage itself keeping in mind the following factors*
Rethink the product design: Efforts should be made to
design a product with fewer amounts of hazardous
materials. For example, the efforts to reduce material use are
reflected in some new computer designs that are flatter,
lighter and more integrated. Other companies propose
centralized networks similar to the telephone system.
Use of renewable materials and energy: Bio-based plastics
are plastics made with plant-based chemicals or plant-
produced polymers rather than from petrochemicals. Bio-
based toners, glues and inks are used more frequently. Solar
computers also exist but they are currently very expensive.
Use of non-renewable materials that are safer: Because
many of the materials used are non-renewable, designers
could ensure the product is built for re-use, repair and/or
upgradeability. Some computer manufacturers such as Dell
and Gateway lease out their products thereby ensuring they
get them back to further upgrade and lease out again.
VI. GENERAL RECYCLING PROCESSES FOR E-WASTE
Recycling is an essential element of e-waste management.
Properly carried out, it should greatly reduce the leakage of
toxic materials into the environment and militate against the
exhaustion of natural resources. However, it does need to be
encouraged by local authorities and through community
education.
One of the major challenges is recycling the printed circuit
boards from the electronic wastes. The circuit boards
contain such precious metals as gold, silver, platinum, etc.
and such base metals as copper, iron, aluminium, etc. One
way e-waste is processed is by melting circuit boards,
burning cable sheathing to recover copper wire and open-
pit acid leaching for separating metals of value.
Conventional method employed is mechanical shredding
and separation but the recycling efficiency is low.
Alternative methods such as cryogenic decomposition have
been studied for printed circuit board recycling, and some
other methods are still under investigation
Most electronic waste goes through a recycling system
called a WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic
Equipment), which not only recycles 95-98% (by weight) of
all the e-waste passed through it, but ensures that any data
left on hard drives and memory are thoroughly destroyed
too. Steps involved in recycling process are:
 Picking Shed – When e-waste arrives at the plant,
first all the items are sorted by hand and batteries
are removed in case of laptops, mobiles, hard disk
drive are removed from the rest.
 Disassembly- After sorting manually, the second
step involves a serious labor intensive process of
manual dismantling. The e-waste items are taken
apart to retrieve all the parts and then categorized
into core materials and components. The
dismantled items are then separated into various
categories into parts that can be re-used or still
continue the recycling processes. Plastics are also
separated from metals.
 First size reduction process- This step involves the
shredding of items that could not be dismantled
efficiently to pieces of 2 inches in diameter. This
precedes the second size reduction process which
further categorizes e-waste into finer pieces.
 Second size reduction process: The finer e-waste
particles are then evenly spread out through an
automated shaking process on a conveyor belt. The
well spread out e-waste pieces are then broken
down further. At this stage, any dust is extracted
and discarded in a way that does not endanger the
environment.
 Over-band Magnet: At this step, an over-band
magnet is used to remove all the magnetic
materials including steel and iron from the e-waste
debris.
 Non-metallic and metallic components separation:
This is the separation of metals and non-metallic
components. Copper, aluminium, gold, bronze,
silver, and brass are separated from the debris and
leave behind non-metallic materials. These metals
are either sold as raw materials or re-used to
manufacture other products.
 Water Separation: As the last step, plastic
components are separated from glass by use of
water. Once separated, all the materials retrieved
can then be resold as raw materials for re-use. The
products sold for reuse includes plastic, glass,
copper, iron, steel, shredded circuit boards, and
valuable metal mixtures.
VII. RECYCLING OF CATHODE RAY TUBE DEVICES
Glass is retrieved from the Cathode-ray tubes (CRTs) mostly
found in televisions and computer monitors. Extracting glass
for recycling, from CRTs is a more complicated task since
CRTs are composed of several toxin materials. CRT’s have
lead in the glass which can seriously harm the environment
and our health if leaked into soil and water systems. Other
toxic metals such as barium and phosphor are also contained
in CRT tubes.
Recycling process of CRT includes following steps
 Separation of Monitor Body and Cathode
Ray Tube
 Size reduction process
 Metal Removal
 Washing Line
 Glass Sorting Line
VIII. RETURN DEPOSITS AND PRODUCER RESPONSIBILITY
 E-markets for Return Deposits- in the United States
of America, e-market for return deposits had been
set up. In this the seller is paid a deposit at the time
of purchase and when the device is to be discarded
many online firms compete for the deposit which is
paid to the firm as the device is tracked by radio
frequency identification device. By chance if the
firm resells the device then the deposit is deferred
until its end of life.
 Extended Producer Responsibility- According to
this in European Union, manufacturers and
importers has to ensure the safe disposal of the
product they sell.
IX. PROBLEMS FACED IN E-WASTE MANAGEMENT IN
INDIA
 High Costs of setting up E-waste Recycling Plants-
The advanced technology recycling projects, which
include metallurgy and refining of different
beneficial materials, are at an economic
disadvantage as compared to basic process
activities. Due to very low profit companies in
India are not investing in recycling E-waste which
could be a major drawback for the Country and the
environment.
  Lack of Research- Government and other private
companies must research into the development of
e-waste recycling plants while making it profitable
to the investors too.
X. ISSUES FACED DURING POLICY IMPLEMENTATION
1. In most of developing countries getting a Policy
started is quite difficult as any policy before being
implemented has to pass through many official acts
before being implemented.
2. A vast network needs to be organized so that all the
firms related to recycling and reuse is connected
globally.
3. Policy makers need to ensure that everything is
done under the set rules and regulations.
device ways to ensure proper recycling. The formal and
informal sector should join hands because this is not the
problem of one individual alone but of the whole globe. The
following measures can be taken to prevent this-
1. Safe disposal of Domestic E-waste.
2. Activities of Informal sector should be linked with
formal sector involving in recycling.
3. Government should make sure the company
handling E-waste should be capable enough to
handle it properly.
4. Attract investment in recycling e-waste.
5. Importing E-waste should be regulated properly.
6. Tie recycling with a take-back product.
7. Promote recycling units to make process of
recycling easier and profitable and encourage
generators to have a proper e-waste disposal.
8. Manufacturers should ensure that their product has
long life and do not contain any toxic material.

XI. INDUVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITIES XIII. REFERENCES

1.
 Don’t trash electronics, if broken. Learn to fix
broken gadgets yourself. 2.
 Pass electronics on for reuse. Give it to someone
else who can keep using it. 3.
 Recycle electronics by sending them to recycling 4.
plants.
 Can be used as showpiece in cafés, galleries, etc.
 Sending devices directly back to their original 5.
manufacturers and companies.
 Promote recycling drives in our schools and
colleges where all the environment conscious 6.
students and teachers can come and drop off their
outdated electronics gadgets which can be donated
to people or organizations in need.
7.
XII. CONCUSIONS
Today where the world seems impossible without electronic
devices and where these devices have become our necessity, 8.
we need to ensure their safe disposal too otherwise we
would be heading towards a bleak future where it would
become difficult to restore the damage. These devices emit 9.
harmful radiations and when disposed on landfill site some
toxicants leach into soil and harm the microorganisms, thus
damaging our ecosystem. So, e-waste is posing as a threat to
our very existence too. Therefore, governments should
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