Lok Sabha Question No. 468 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-02-06
Subject: E-Waste Management
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Jugal Kishore Sharma, Riti Pathak, Pradeep Kumar Singh, Parbatbhai Savabhai Patel, Geeta Kora

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 468

TO BE ANSWERED ON 06.02.2023

## E-Waste Management

468. SHRI JUGAL KISHORE SHARMA:

SHRIMATI RITI PATHAK:

SHRI PRADEEP KUMAR SINGH:

SHRI PARBATBHAI SAVABHAI PATEL:

SHRIMATI GEETA KORA:

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

- (a) whether the Government has entrusted the State Governments with the responsibility ofearmarking  industrial  locations for  E-Waste  removal  and  recycling  facilities, industrial skill development and ensuring health and safety arrangements for workers engaged in E-Waste removal and recycling facilities;
- (b)   whether E-Waste contains innumerable toxic substances that contaminate the soil and ground water;
- (c)   whether the  Government has directed the start-ups and companies in the country to start collecting and recycling electronic waste; and
- (d)   if so, the details of the start-ups and companies assisting the Government on the said matter  in  the  States  of  Madhya  Pradesh,  Jammu  and  Kashmir,  Bihar,  Gujarat  and Jharkhand?

## ANSWER

MINISTER  OF  STATE  IN  THE  MINISTRY  OF  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND CLIMATE CHANGE

(SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)

- (a) The management of E-Waste in India is being regulated through E-Waste (Management)  Rules,  2016  and  its  amendment  notified  under  the  Environment  Protection Act,  1986.  Further,  Ministry  has  notified  the  E-Waste  (Management)  Rules,  2022  on  2 nd November, 2022. These rules will replace E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2016 with effect from 1 st April, 2023.

As  per  the  E-Waste  (Management)  Rules,  the  Department  of  Industry  inthe  State  and Union  Territory or any other government  agency  authorised in this regard by the StateGovernment  or  the  Union  Territory,  as  the  case  may  be,  shall  ensure  earmarking  or allocation  of  industrial  space  or  shed  for  e-waste  dismantling  and  recycling  in  the  existing and upcoming industrial park, estate and industrial clusters. Further, Department of Labor in the State and Union Territory or any other government agency authorised in this regard by the State Government or the Union Territory, as the case may be,shall, -

- a) ensure recognition and registration of workers involved in dismantling and recycling;
- b) assist formation of groups of such workers to facilitate setting up of dismantlingfacilities;
- c) undertake industrial skill development activities for the workers involved in dismantlingand recycling;
- d) undertake  annual  monitoring  and  to  ensure  safety  and  health  of  workers  involved indismantling and recycling.

(b) E-waste contains precious and semi-precious materials such as 'silver, gold, platinum, palladium and plastics, iron, glass, aluminum, and copperetc.'. It also contains hazardous and toxic substances such as 'lead, cadmium, mercury, polychlorinated bi-phenyls (PCBs), etched chemicals,  brominated  flame  retardants  (BFR),  arsenic,  asbestos  and  nickel  etc.  E-Waste, may not cause any harm to health and environment if it is handled in environmentally sound manner. In case, un-scientific and crude methods are used in processing for the retrieval of useful  components or materials or if e-waste is disposed in open, then it may cause health risks and damage to environment.

(c) & (d) The  management  of  E-Waste  under  these  Rules  is  primarily  based  on  the principle of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR). Under EPR, the producers of notified Electrical  and  Electronic  Equipment  (EEE)  have  been  given  responsibility  of  recycling targets.  In  E-Waste  (Management)  Rules,  2022  (effective  from  1 st April,  2023),  a  market based  mechanism  for  implementation  of  EPR  has  been  prescribed.  It  will facilitate establishment for collection and recycling of e-waste.

As  per  the  Central  Pollution  Control  Board,  there  are  567  numbers  of  e-waste recyclers/dismantlers located in 22 States having a cumulative annual processing capacity of 17,22,624.27 tonnes per annum in the country including Madhya Pradesh (03 recyclers/dismantlers  having  capacity  of  13,600  tonnes/annum),  Jammu  and  Kashmir  (03 recyclers/dismantlers having capacity of 705 tonnes/annum), Gujarat (40 recyclers/dismantlers  having  capacity  of  1,20,130.92  tonnes/annum)and  Jharkhand  (02 recyclers/dismantlers having capacity of 660 tonnes/annum). There is no e-waste recycler/dismantlerlocated in Bihar.

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