Lok Sabha Question No. 4014 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-03-28
Subject: Illegal Dumping of E-Waste
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: T.N. Prathapan

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOKSABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4014

TO BE ANSWERED ON 28.03.2022

## Illegal Dumping of E-Waste

## 4014.  SHRI T.N. PRATHAPAN:

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

- (a)   whether the Government has taken cognizance of the high prevalence of illegal shipment and dumping of e-waste in the country, if so, the details thereof;
- (b)   whether the Government maintains data on illegal shipment and dumping of e-waste in the country, if so, the quantum thereof, State-wise and year-wise during last three years and if not, the reasons therefor; and
- (c)   the details of steps the Government is undertaking to combat the issue of illegal dumping of e-waste in the country?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER  OF  STATE  IN  THE  MINISTRY  OF  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)

(a) to (c): The  import  and  export  of  hazardous  and  other  wastes  is  regulated  under  the Hazardous  and  Other  Wastes  (Management  and  Transboundary  Movement)  Rules,  2016 notified by the Ministry. Government had banned import of e-waste in the country by listing e-waste in the Schedule VI (Basel No. A1180) of the said rules.

As per the information provided by the Central Board of Indirect Taxes & Customs (CBIC), Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance, there were a total 29 cases of illegal import of e-waste detected across the country in the last 3 years including current years. The details is at Annexure-I . CBIC, further informed that all field formations and Directorate of Revenue Intelligence  (DRI)  under  CBIC  keep  constant  vigil  to  check  illegal  import  of  e-waste  into India and take action in accordance with law whenever such contraventions are noticed.

The management of e-waste in the Country is  regulated under the E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2016. Under the said Rules, the responsibility of disposal of e-waste in a scientific and environmentally  sound  manner  has  been  assigned  to  Producers  of  notified  Electrical  & Electronic Equipment (EEE) as listed in Schedule - I of the said rules under the principle of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR). Under EPR regime producers of EEE, have given annual e-waste collection and recycling targets based on the generation from the previously sold EEE or based on sales of EEE as the case may be.

The  compliance  monitoring  is  done  through  Action  Plan  developed  by  Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) for enforcement of E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2016 in the  Country.  The  major  action  points  include  identification  of  Non-EPR  Authorization producers,  State/UT  wise  inventorization  of  e-waste,  verification  of  system  provided  by producers  for  e-waste  channelization,  verification  of  facilities  of  dismantlers/  recyclers, drives for checking informal activities, formulation of State Level Committee for monitoring implementation of rules and mass awareness activities etc. Under the action plan, monitoring and  compliance  of  producers  are  ensured  through  Sate  Pollution  Control  Boards  and Pollution Control Committees. Further, under the existing rules, provisions are in place for action against the companies who are violating the said rules.

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Table: State-wise cases of Illegal Shipment and dumping of e-waste

| Year                                                              | 2019-20                                                           | 2019-20                                                           | 2020-21                                                           | 2020-21                                                           | 2021-22 (up to February, 2022)                                    | 2021-22 (up to February, 2022)                                    |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------|
| States                                                            | No. of cases                                                      | Quantity (in MTS/Pieces)                                          | No. of cases                                                      | Quantity (in MTS/Pieces)                                          | No. of cases                                                      | Quantity (in MTS/Pieces)                                          |
| Gujarat                                                           | 2                                                                 | 895 Pieces*                                                       | 0                                                                 | 0                                                                 | 1                                                                 | 2355 Pieces*                                                      |
| Karnataka                                                         | 0                                                                 | 0                                                                 | 0                                                                 | 0                                                                 | 0                                                                 | 0                                                                 |
| Maharashtra                                                       | 3                                                                 | 15771 Pieces* + 5.43 MTS                                          | 1                                                                 | 3974 Pieces*                                                      | 7                                                                 | 21861 Pieces* + 50.61 MTS                                         |
| Tamilnadu                                                         | 0                                                                 | 0                                                                 | 9                                                                 | 17624 Pieces* + 143.06 MTS                                        | 2                                                                 | 15317 Pieces* + 81.43 MTS                                         |
| Uttar Pradesh                                                     | 1                                                                 | 5158 Pieces*                                                      | 0                                                                 | 0                                                                 | 1                                                                 | 0.0067 MTS                                                        |
| West Bengal                                                       | 0                                                                 | 0                                                                 | 2                                                                 | 3873Pieces*                                                       | 0                                                                 | 0                                                                 |
| * Old and used Photocopiers and parts &accessories of computers . | * Old and used Photocopiers and parts &accessories of computers . | * Old and used Photocopiers and parts &accessories of computers . | * Old and used Photocopiers and parts &accessories of computers . | * Old and used Photocopiers and parts &accessories of computers . | * Old and used Photocopiers and parts &accessories of computers . | * Old and used Photocopiers and parts &accessories of computers . |