Lok Sabha Question No. 592 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-07-20
Subject: e-Waste
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: C. MAHENDRAN, KAVITHA KALVAKUNTLA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 592

TO BE ANSWERED ON 20.07.2018

## e-Waste

## 592. SHRI C. MAHENDRAN:

## SHRIMATI KAVITHA KALVAKUNTLA:

Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the country is one of the biggest contributors of e-waste in the world as per recent estimates and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether  the  Government  has  any  data  regarding  the  percentage  of  recycling  of  ewaste generated in the country and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether  the  low  quantum  of  recycling  of  e-waste  in  India  is  due  to  lack  of infrastructure,  absence  of  strong  legislative  framework  etc.  and  if  so,  the  details thereof;
- (d) whether  the  Government  has  any  evaluating  mechanism  to  ensure  that  the  e-waste generated  in  the  country  is  being  disposed  off  scientifically  and  if  so,  the  details thereof; and
- (e) whether  the  Government  has  had  any  consultations  with  the  State  Government  to ensure that the e-Waste (Management) Rules, 2016 is being implemented as per the rules prescribed and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER  OF  STATE  IN  THE  MINISTRY  OF  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND CLIMATE CHANGE (DR. MAHESH SHARMA)

(a) & (b) As per the Global E-waste Monitor 2017 Report of United Nation University the world  wide  generation  of  e-waste  in  2016  was  44.7  million  metric  tonnes  and  the  annual generation  of  e-waste  in  India  was  2  million  metric  tonnes.  Therefore,  the  contribution  of India to worldwide generation of e-waste is 4.47%. As per an estimate only about 5% of ewaste is processed by the authorized dismantlers and recyclers.

(c) to (e) There are 187 authorized dismantling/recycling units in the country with a capacity of 4,49,092.6  MT per annum. In order to ensure safe disposal of e-waste the Government has revised  E-waste  (Management  &  Handling)  Rules,  2011  comprehensively  and  notified  EWaste  (Management)  Rules  in  March,  2016  and  has  further  made  amendments  in  March, 2018  for  its  effective  implementation.  The  provisions  of  these  Rules  include  extended producers  responsibility,  setting  up  of  producer  responsibility  organizations  and  e-waste exchange  to  facilitate  collection  and  recycling,  assigning  specific  responsibility  to  bulk consumers  of  electronic  products  for  safe  disposal  and  other  measures  which  include responsibility of producers of electronic and electrical products for collection and channelizing  of  electronic  waste.  The  Rules  provide  for  simplified  permission  process  for setting  up  of  dismantling  and  recycling  facilities  through  single  authorization  based  on Standard Operating Procedures (SoP) prescribed by Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). State  Governments  have  been  entrusted  with  the  responsibility  for  earmarking  industrial space  for  e-waste  dismantling  and  recycling  facilities,  and  to  undertake  industrial  skill development and establish measures for safety and health of workers engaged in dismantling and recycling facilities of e-waste. A mechanism is put in place for evaluating and monitoring of e-waste generation and its scientific disposal, as per provisions of E-waste (Management) Rules, 2016 various stakeholders viz. bulk consumers, manufactures, producers, refurbishers, dismantler, recyclers have to maintain the record of e-waste generated, collected or disposed by  them  and  file  annual  returns  to  the  concerned  State  Pollution  Control  Board  (SPCBs)/ Pollution Control Committee (PCCs). The SPCBs/PCCs has to submit the annual report to the CPCB, CPCB complies the report and submit a consolidated report to the Ministry. There had  been  wide  consultations  with  State  Governments  while  formulating  the  Rules  and  its amendment. In addition letters had been written to the Chief Ministers and Chief Secretaries of all the States/Union Territories for effective implementation of the E-waste (Management) Rules.

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