Lok Sabha Question No. 2348 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-12-18
Subject: Management of e-Waste
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Omprakash Bhupalsinh alias Pawan Rajenimbalkar, Vinayak Bhaurao Raut

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

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2348

TO BE ANSWERED ON 18.12.2023

## Management of e-Waste

## 2348.  SHRI OMPRAKASH BHUPALSINH ALIAS PAWAN RAJENIMBALKAR: SHRI VINAYAK RAUT:

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

- (a) the details of e-Waste generated during the last two years, State-wise along with the details of e-Waste generated in Maharashtra, district-wise;
- (b) whether the Government has any scheme/mechanism for disposal of e-Waste;
- (c) if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether  the  Government  has  taken  any  measure  for  providing  additional  medical assistance to the workers engaged in e-Waste management; and
- (e) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reason therefor?

## ANSWER

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

(a) to (c) The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) estimates the e-waste generation at national level  based  on  the  countrywide  sales  data  provided  by  producers,  and  average  life  of  notified electrical  and  electronic  equipment  (EEE),  as  mandated  under  the  E-waste  Management  Rules, 2016.  As  per  the  CPCB,  e-waste  generated  in  the  country  from  twenty-one  (21)  types  of  EEE notified under the E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2016 during the last two years is given below:

| Financial Year   | E-Waste Generation (in Metric Tonnes)   |
|------------------|-----------------------------------------|
| 2020-21          | 13,46,496.31                            |
| 2021-22          | 16,01,155.36                            |

As  per  information  provided  by  Maharashtra  Pollution  Control  Board  (MPCB),  the  e-waste generation in the state of Maharashtra during the last two years is given below:

| Financial Year   | E-Waste Generation (in Metric Tonnes)   |
|------------------|-----------------------------------------|
| 2020-21          | 37,099.062                              |
| 2021-22          | 83,086.40                               |

The steps taken to manage the e-waste are as follows:

-  Ministry has comprehensively revised the E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2016 and notified the E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2022 in November, 2022 and the same is in force since 1 st April, 2023. The Rules covers 106 types of EEE listed in the Schedule-I of the said rules. The rules  intend  to  manage  e-waste  in  an  environmentally  sound  manner  and  are  based  on  the principal of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR). Under EPR regime, the obligation has
- been  assigned  to  the  Producers  of  Electrical  &  Electronic  Equipment  (EEE)  in  terms  of recycling targets of EEE generated by them.
-  The  new  rules  have  a  robust  mechanism  of  maintaining  transparency  in  management  of  ewaste. The rules focus on recycling of e- waste. There is a provision of on line portal where all  the  stakeholders  have  to  register  themselves.  No  entity  can  manage  e-waste  if  it  is  not registered on the portal. The new e-waste rules have proper auditing mechanism w.r.t quantity of  e-waste  recycled  through  authorized  recyclers  and  purchase  of  their  EPR  certificates  by producers. The EPR portal is operational.
-  The  Extended  Producer  Responsibility  is  regulated  through  market  based  approach  where Producers are required to fulfil their EPR obligations by purchasing online EPR certificates only from recyclers registered on the EPR Portal. The recyclers of e-waste in turn are issued EPR certificates  through  the  EPR  Portal  on  the  basis  of  e-waste  recycled  and  end  product produced by them.
-  An  Action  Plan  is  in  place  for  management  of  E-Waste  in  the  country,  and  is  being implemented  through  SPCBs/PCCs.  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.
-  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  by  the SPCBs/PCCs.
-  CPCB issued Directions  under  Section  18  (1)  (b)  of  the  Water  (Prevention  and  Control  of Pollution)  Act  1974,  and  Air  (Prevention  and  Control  of  Pollution)  Act  1981  for  checking Informal E-Waste activities, verification of authorized dismantlers/recyclers of E-Waste and drives for mass awareness.
-  Also under the above said rules, State Government has been entrusted with the responsibility to  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.

(d) & (e)   As per E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2022 sub rule 10(2), 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;

- i. Ensure recognition and registration of workers involved in dismantling and recycling;
- ii. Assist formation of groups of such workers to facilitate setting up of dismantling facilities;
- iii. Undertake industrial skill development activities for the workers involved in dismantling and recycling;
- iv. Undertake  annual  monitoring  and  to  ensure  safety  and  health  of  workers  involved  in dismantling and recycling.

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