GS Paper 3
Syllabus: Environment Conservation
Source: Th
Context: The Indian Cellular and Electronics Association (ICEA) released a report on ‘Pathways to Circular Economy in Indian Electronics Sector’ in collaboration with NITI Aayog, aiming to explore opportunities for managing electronic waste (e-waste) more effectively.
What is E-waste?
E-waste refers to all items of electronic and electrical equipment (EEE) and its parts that have been discarded by their owner as waste without the intent of re-use.
Status of E-Wastes in India:
- India is the third-largest e-waste generator in the world after China and the USA (Global E-waste Monitor 2020).
- E-waste management in India is predominantly informal, with roughly 90% of collection and 70% of recycling handled by the informal sector.
- The level of e-waste is expected to grow due to cheaper phones and increased usage.
In November 2022, the Ministry of Environment and Forests notified the E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2022, (which came into force on April 1, 2023) to digitize the e-waste management process and provide more transparency in handling e-waste.
Provisions of the E-Waste (Management) Rules 2022:
- Restricted the use of hazardous substances (such as lead, mercury, and cadmium) in manufacturing electrical and electronic equipment that have an adverse impact on human health and the environment.
- Increased coverage: It has increased the range of electronic goods covered e.g., laptops, mobile, cameras etc.
- Targets fixed: Producers of electronic goods have to ensure at least 60% of their electronic waste is collected and recycled by 2023 with targets to increase them to 70% and 80% in 2024 and 2025, respectively.
- Companies will report these on an online portal.
- Extended Producer Responsibility Certificates (similar to carbon credit mechanism): This will allow the offsetting of e-waste responsibility to a third party.
- ‘Environmental compensation’ to be provided by the companies that don’t meet their target.
- Role of State Governments: They will earmark industrial space for e-waste dismantling and recycling facilities, undertaking industrial skill development and establishing measures for protecting the health and safety of workers engaged in the dismantling and recycling facilities for e-waste.
- Role of manufacturers:
- Make the end product recyclable
- A component made by different manufacturers be compatible with each other
- Monitoring: The Central Pollution Control Board shall conduct random sampling of electrical and electronic equipment placed on the market to monitor and verify the compliance of reduction of hazardous substances provisions.
Recommendations of the Report:
| Recommendation | Examples |
| Encourage manufacturers to reuse old components | China targets 5% of secondary raw material in new products by 2019 and aims for 35% by 2030. |
| Establish public-private partnerships for a reverse supply chain | Collect devices from users, wipe personal data, and recycle them. |
| Create an auditable database of collected materials | Maintain a transparent record of materials collected for accountability. |
| Develop geographical clusters for processing devices | Concentrate devices in specific areas for efficient dismantling and recycling. |
| Incentivize high-yield recycling centres | Promote facilities capable of extracting maximum value from e-waste, such as rare earth metals in semiconductors. |
| Support the right to repair by users | Encourage product repair and longevity to reduce electronic waste. |
Case study:
The Bhopal e-waste clinic, a pilot project, exemplifies this approach. It enables door-to-door collection or direct deposit at the clinic, offering a fee-based exchange. Its success warrants further study.
Best practice:
‘Karo Sambhav’, a Delhi-based PRO, has integrated informal aggregators in its collection mechanism → e-waste entered a safe and structured system → informal sector has an advantage in terms of financial and legal security.
IIT Hyderabad launched M.Tech courses in e-waste Resources.
Conclusion:
Efforts to create a circular economy for e-waste are crucial, given the unpredictable supply chains for electronic components, and the need to extract the full value of electronics in a formalized and reliable manner.
Insta Links:
Mains Link:
What are the impediments in disposing of the huge quantities of discarded solid wastes which are continuously being generated? How do we safely remove the toxic wastes that have been accumulating in our habitable environment? (UPSC 2018)
Prelims Links: (UPSC 2019)
In India, ‘extend producer responsibility’ was introduced as an important feature in which of the following?
- The Bio-medical Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 1998
- The Recycled Plastic (Manufacturing and Usage) Rules, 1999
- The e-Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 2011
- The Food Safety and Standard Regulations, 2011
Ans: 3
