Electronic waste (e-waste)

Why in news?

• Electronic waste (e-waste) generation in India increased by over 43 per cent between 2017-18 and 2019-20according to ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
• E-waste in India increased to over one million tonnes, from an estimated 0.7 million tonnes in three years.

E-Waste:

• E-waste comprises not just electronic items, but also any electrical equipment that involves anything with a plug, electric cord or battery.
• It may represent only 2 per cent of the solid waste stream, yet it can represent 70 per cent of the hazardous waste that ends up in landfills.
• E-waste will also contribute to carbon emissions.
• Globally, only up to 20 per cent of e-waste is recycled.
• The rest is undocumented, and experts predict that it gets buried under the ground in landfills for centuries as it is not biodegradable

Hazardous components in e-waste:

• Brominated flame retardants (polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs))
• Lead, Cadmium, Mercury, Sulphur
• Hexavalent chromium
• Polyvinyl chloride (PVC)
• Americium
• Beryllium oxide etc.

Non-Hazardous components in e-waste:

• Aluminium, Copper, Germanium, Gold, Lithium, Nickel, Tin, Zinc etc

E-Waste management in India:

• India passed the first rules on e-waste management in 2011 with the concept of extended producer responsibility.
• Amendments made in 2016  and 2018 have further strengthened the rules.

About Extended Producer Responsibility:

• Extended producer responsibility is a practice and a policy approach in which producers take responsibility for management of the disposal of products they produce once those products are designated as no longer useful by consumers.
• India is targeting 70% of e-waste generated to be collected under extended producer responsibility after 2023, after a gradual increase of 10% per year from 2017.
• Indian rules also allow creation of producer responsibility organisations (PROs) which can take responsibilities under EPR with permission from CPCB.
• The rules also allow a Deposit Refund Scheme wherein the producer charges an additional amount as a deposit at the time of sale of the electrical and electronic equipment and returns it to the consumer along with interest when the end - of - life electrical and electronic equipment is returned

PRELIMS QUESTION

Consider the following statements regarding E-waste management:
1.More than 50% of e-waste generated globally is recycled.
2.Indian rules have integrated the concept of Extended producer responsibility for e-wastes.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a)1 only
(b)2 only
(c)Both 1 and 2
(d)Neither 1 nor 2

Answer to prelims question