Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
Recycling of E-Waste
Posted On: 01 AUG 2024 1:02 PM by PIB Delhi
The Government currently lacks an estimate regarding the proportion of e-waste handled by the informal sector. However, several measures have been implemented to formalize the e-waste recycling sector in India.
Key Initiatives and Regulations
- E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2016:
- Mandatory authorization for dismantling and recycling units from State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs) or Pollution Control Committees (PCCs).
- Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) guidelines/SOP for e-waste processing.
- Monitoring by CPCB and SPCBs, with efforts to modernize the recycling industry in collaboration with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.
- CPCB directives under Section 18 (1) (b) of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, and Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981.
- Regular drives by SPCBs/PCCs to curb informal e-waste activities and verify authorized dismantlers/recyclers.
Revised Regulations
The Ministry has comprehensively revised the E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2016, and introduced the E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2022, effective from 1st April 2023. These new rules aim to manage e-waste environmentally and improve the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regime. All manufacturers, producers, refurbishers, and recyclers must register on a CPCB-developed portal. The new provisions facilitate the transition of the informal sector to the formal sector, ensuring environmentally sound recycling of e-waste. The rules also introduce environmental compensation, verification, and audit measures, promoting a circular economy through the EPR regime and scientific recycling or disposal of e-waste.
Additional Provisions
- * Producers of Electrical and Electronic Equipment (EEE) must ensure their products do not contain lead, mercury, and other hazardous substances beyond prescribed limits.
- * Recognition, registration, skill development, and monitoring to ensure the safety and health of workers involved in e-waste dismantling and recycling.
This information was provided by the Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Shri Kirti Vardhan Singh, in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha today.
