Measures to Combat Mounting E-Waste in the Country
Ministry of Environment and Forests has taken a number of steps to ensure environmentally sound management of e-waste in the country. These include:
(i) The Hazardous Wastes (Management, Handling and Transboundary Movement) Rules, 2008, are in place for proper management and handling of hazardous wastes including e-waste.
(ii) The guidelines for Environmentally Sound Management of e-waste, published by CPCB, provide approach and methodology for environmentally sound management of e-waste.
(iii) Separate E-Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 2011 have been notified on 12th May, 2011. These Rules will come in to effect from 1st May 2012. The concept of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) has been enshrined in these rules to make EPR a mandatory activity associated with the production of electronic and electrical equipments. The Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) is an environment protection strategy that makes the producer responsible for the entire life cycle of the product, especially for take back, recycling and final disposal of the product.
(iv) E-waste recycling can be undertaken only in facilities authorized and registered with State Pollution Control Boards/Pollution Control Committees. Waste generated is required to be sent or sold to a registered or authorized recycler or re-processor having environmentally sound facilities.
(v) The Ministry is implementing a Scheme to provide financial assistance for setting up of treatment, disposal and storage facility for hazardous and integrated recycling facilities for E-waste on public private partnership mode.
This Information was given by the Minister of State for Environment and Forests (I/C)Smt Jayanthi Natarajan in a written reply to a question By Shri S. Thangavelu in Rajya Sabha Today.
KP