E-Waste Management in India

Kunal Verma Vasu Mittal

IT P A B E S C

Overview

01 Challenges and Current Practices 02 Initiatives in e-Waste Management 03 Establishing an e-Waste Management System 04 Building Blocks of the Management System 05 E-Waste and Industrial Parks A Case Study 06 The Way Ahead 07 Proj ect Details

Challenges and Current Practices

Challenges and Current Practices

Electronics industry is the fastest growing manufacturing industry today E-waste is one of the fastest growing waste streams worldwide (rapid growth and obsolescence, short innovation cycles) Rapidly increasing e-waste volumes (domestic and imports) Low recovery of materials due to rudimentary processes (loss of resources) Low level of awareness of the hazards of incorrect recycling and disposal Little or no data and information on e-waste generation, imports and exports

Challenges and Current Practices

E-waste processing in India is highly complex and mostly managed by a very well networked informal sector Release of toxics into air, water and soil Health concerns to the workers involved directly in such operations Loss of revenue to state as these recycling centres are not covered under any regulation Disproportionate sharing of profits between the actors of the recycling chain Cherry-Picking - only valuable waste is recycled while less valuable waste is dumped and causes pollution

E-Trade Cycle in Delhi

End User Landfill, Water Body, Air (Disposal)

Extractors/Recyclers
Electronic Item Extractor Plastic Extractor Metal Extractor

Key Players
Upgraded for Resale Vendor Lobby Exchanged with vendor for higher configuration Relatives or Friends After Use Donated to institutions Auctioned to Vendors Scrap Dealer Dismantler

Domestic

Official

Manufacturer

Imports

Consumer

Dismantling of e-Waste

Copper extraction using acids

Burning of PCBs to extract copper

Breaking cathode ray tubes (CRTs)

Precious metal recovery

Hazardous work environment

E-Waste Management Approaches

Industrialized Countries
Through (large) recycling companies Capital intensive Environmentally safe Highly controlled Very expensive

Industrializing Countries
Mainly through informal sector Labour intensive Often polluting, unsafe, unhealthy Not very controlled Self financed

Initiatives in e-Waste Management

Important Assessments
E-waste Assessment Studies: National Level, Delhi, Bangalore and Kolkata (in progress) Assessment of occupational health and safety of informal e-waste recycling sector Concept Paper on models / strategies for sustainable management of e-waste in India

Estimation of E-Waste in India

Total e-waste generated in India in 2007 (Computers, Mobiles, Televisions, Imports)

Level 1

Potential Annual e-Waste: 382,979 MT

Imports: 50,000 MT Computers: 56,324 MT Mobiles: 1,655 MT Televisions: 2,75,000 MT

Total e-Waste available for recycling: 144,143 MT

Level 2

Imports: 50,000 MT Computers: 24,000 MT Mobiles: 143 MT Televisions: 70,000 MT

e-Waste Processed:19,000 MT

Level 3
Of this, 95% is recycled by the informal sector and only 5% by formal recyclers
MT = Metric Tons

Computers: 12,000 MT Televisions: 7,000 MT Mobiles: negligible

Capacity Building and Training

Profitable Environmental Management Training (PREMA) carried out with informal recyclers Capacity Building of informal sector, association building and formalization of informal groups (safe recycling practices, support in obtaining government clearances, information on basic human rights) Linking of newly formalized groups (previous informal sector) to formal recyclers (collection, segregation and dismantling)
Highlight: Three groups have been formalised in Bangalore which are setting up recycling facilities One large fomalised associtation in Delhi is collecting e-waste and supplying a formal recyler

Recycling in the Informal Sector

Collection Segregation & Dismantling Recycling

Model for E-Waste Management in India

Collection & Segregation

Dismantling

Recycling

Formalised " Informal Sector"

Formal e-Waste Recycler

Improved Recycling Capacity

Facilitation and technical support for setting up formal recyclers units throughout the country
Support to government in selection process for formal recyclers
Highlight: E-Parisaraa India first formal e-waste recycling facility (ISO 14001:2004 certified) Set up in collaboration with GTZ and EMPA Safe methods of dismantling e-waste Process of recycling involves non-incineration technology manual dismantling, segregation, shredding, crushing, pulverising and density separation

Stakeholder Engagement
Formation of national level working group on e-waste in 2004 Formation of the E-Waste Agency (EWA) in Bangalore in May 2005 (brings together industry, government and NGOs to work together on a sustainable e-waste management strategy) Multi-Stakeholder Dialogues (industry, industry associations, government and NGOs) as a common platform for discussion and consensus building for sustainable management systems, extended producer responsibility and CSR

Policy Advice
Support in drafting Guidelines for Environmentally Sound Management of Electronic Waste (2008) Support in draft legislation on Environmentally Sound Management of Electronic Waste which was first presented to public for comments and has now been submitted to government for further action

Establishing an e-Waste Management System

Establishing the Management System

The various steps in providing a new direction to e-waste management system in India include: Conceptualising and defining the necessary building blocks for a proper e-waste management model Creating a broad consensus amongst the various stakeholders of e-waste management system about the viability of the proposed EPR models Implementation of the EPR model Legislation based on regular monitoring and evaluation of the model
EPR = Extended Producer Responsibility

Establishing the Management System

Objective: to evolve a sustainable solution for managing e-waste in India Such a management system would provide: A convenient collection and disposal system for large and small consumers to return all their e-waste safely. A mandatory system for all producers to care for their product beyond its useful life. A regulated system where all stakeholders have clearly defined roles and responsibilities, adhering strictly to existing environmental and social legislation.

Building Blocks of the Management System

Building Blocks
1. Legal Framework
Extended Producers Responsibility (EPR) All Stakeholder Participation and Coordination Questions to be kept in mind: What is the goal of the legislation? What is the scope of the legislation? Who is responsible? (Allocating responsibilities) How is the system financed? (if additional finances are needed) Setting collection and recycling targets Monitoring and compliance

Building Blocks
2. Secure Financing: What needs to be financed?
All e-waste is not profitable, some e-waste is not branded, inherent value depends on market prices, operational costs, components used in technology, legislation Every step of the recycling chain, i.e. collection, transport, separation of fractions (manual or automatic) and material recovery, induces a cost or a profit Creating awareness, controlling and running such a system also have a cost

Every component of the system needs to have its financing secured

Building Blocks
3. Awareness and Education
Awareness among all stakeholders is very critical for any change to be effective and meet its desired objective The Producers will also need to play their part in educating the consumers regarding the e-waste management system product constituents handling precautions responsibility of the producers in changed situation

E-Waste and Industrial Parks - A Case Study

Clean E-Waste Channel at ELCIA

ELCIA (Electronics City Industry Association) in Bangalore is home to several of the biggest electronic products brands as well as large users, with over 150 member companies having around 60,000 staff. Through support of GTZ and EMPA, ELCIA and its members, predominantly from the software sector, have taken a unilateral lead in tackling the e-waste problem: Awareness programs conducted in Electronics City Formulation of a ' Code of Conduct' for the companies in Electronics City defining their commitment towards proper ewaste management Creation of an e-waste collection centre inside the Electronics City The waste collected is then handled over to E-Parisaraa, an authorized e-waste recycler

The Way Ahead

The Way Ahead

Present traditional system of e-waste collection in the traditional sector should continue:
-Evolution of standards for recycling operations -Fiscal incentives to promote recycling

Extended producer responsibility (EPR)

-Buy back schemes / Fixed recycling prices -Flexible refund schemes / Definition of responsibilities

Prevention of hazardous substances in products Ban imports of e-waste Incentives for state-of-the-art facilities for recycling

For More Information

Indo-European-e-Waste Initiative http://www.ieewaste.org/ Indo-German-Swiss e-Waste Initiative http://www.e-waste.in/ E-Waste Agency http://www.ewa.co.in/ E-Parisaraa (First formal e-Waste recycler in India) http://www.ewasteindia.in/ E-Waste Info Guide http://ewasteguide.info/ Electronics City Industrial Association (ELCIA) http://www.elcia.in/ewaste

Short But Important Q uote

Proj ect Details

Proj ect Details

Topic
E-Waste Management in INDIA

Proj ect Contributors

Kunal Verma Roll No. 42 Vasu Mittal Roll No. 57

Precious Guidance by
Mrs. Poonam Kathuria HOD CSE Section Head Teacher (Chemistry Department)