Lok Sabha Question No. 2933 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-03-21
Subject: E-waste Collection by Informal Sector
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Anto  Antony, Faizal P.P. Mohammed

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2933

TO BE ANSWERED ON 21.03.2022

## E-waste Collection by Informal Sector

## 2933.  SHRI ANTO ANTONY: SHRI MOHAMMED FAIZAL P.P.:

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

- (a)   whether the Government has achieved the e-waste collection target as per the E-Waste (Management) Rules, and if so, the details thereof;
- (b)   if not, the reasons therefor and the details of policy changes if any to achieve this target;
- (c)   whether the Government has estimated the proportion of e-waste being handled by the informal sector and if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (d)   whether  the  Government  is  aware  of  health  concerns  related  to  e-waste  faced  by  the informal sector and if so, the measures being implemented to address the same; and
- (e)   the  steps  being  taken  to  reduce  the  presence  of  the  informal  sector  and  effectively regularize e-waste management or alternatively, to upskill the informal sector to manage e-waste in safe and appropriate ways?

## ANSWER

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

(a) & (b)Under the E-waste (Management) Rules, 2016, Producers of notified electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) were given phase wise annual e-waste collection target. As per the information available with Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), 1,64,663 tonnes;2,24,041  tonnes  and  3,54,291.22  tonnes  of  e-waste  was  collected  and  processed during the Financial Year (FY) 2018-19, 2019-20 and 2020-21 respectively.

The defaulting  units/producers  are  liable  to  pay  financial  penalties  under  para  21(2)  of  EWaste  (Management)  Rules,  2016.  To  ensure  compliance  of  targets,  guidelineshave  been framed by CPCB.

- (c) No  authentic  estimateis  available  so  far  regarding  the  proportion  of  e-waste  being handled by informal sector.
- (d) No study has been carried out so far to assess the health related issues of informal sector involved in the processing of e-waste. Under the E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2016, Department of Labour in the State or any other government agency authorised in this regard by the State Government has been assigned responsibility for ensuring safety and health of workers involved in dismantling and recycling of e-waste.

(e) Under E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2016, collection and processing of e-waste can be carried out only by Producers or their authorised associates/partners, authorised dismantlers, recyclers and authorised refurbisher. Following steps have been taken to curb informal collection and unscientific dismantling and recycling of e-waste:

-  Under  Extended  Producer  Responsibility  Authorisation  (EPRA),  a  producer  is required  to  get  its  e-waste  managed  only  through  an  authorized  dismantler  or recycler of e-waste.
-  CPCB grants EPRA only to those producers who have set up a system of collection of e-waste through authorised entity as per the above said rules.
-  An Action Plan for enforcement of E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2016,across the country is in place since May, 2019.  The action plan is to be implemented by all the  States/UTs  and  SPCBs/PCCs  are  required  to  submit  their  quarterly  progress reports  to  CPCB  to  review  progress.  In  the  said  action  plan,  checking  informal traders, dismantlers, recyclers of e-waste have been taken-up as one of the action points.  Drives  for  identification  of  informal  activities  are  to  be  done  by  all  the SPCBs  along  with  district  administration  of  the  State.  An  e-waste  Management review portal has also been developed for uploading status & progress ofe-waste action plan.
-  Actions, such as, constitution of teams for carrying out drives, issuing of notices, closure of operation, seizing the E-Waste against the informal processing are being taken up by the State Pollution Control Boards  (SPCBs)/Pollution  Control Committees  (PCCs).  Seventeen  SPCBs/  PCCs  started  the  drive  against  informal recycling as per the aforesaid Action Plan during FY 2020-2021.
-  Under  the  aforesaid rules, provisions have  been  made  for  recognition  and registering of workers involved in dismantling and recycling of E-Waste.  Under Rule  12(1)  of  the  said  rules,  State  Government  has  been  entrusted  with  the responsibility to ensure earmarking or allocation of industrial space or shed for EWaste  dismantling  and  recycling  in  the  existing  and  upcoming  industrial  park, estate and industrial clusters.

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