Lok Sabha Question No. 32 (STARRED), answered on 2016-04-26
Subject: e-Waste
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: PRATHAP SIMHA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION No. *32

TO BE ANSWERED ON 26-04-2016

## e-Waste

## *32.  SHRI PRATHAP SIMHA:

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

- (a) whether  India  has  become  a  destination  for  dumping  of  e-waste  generated  in developed countries;
- (b) if so, the quantum of e-waste imported into the country during each of the last three years and the current year, country-wise;
- (c) whether India has adequate facilities for treatment of the imported e-waste, if so, the details thereof and if not, the manner in which the e-waste is treated;
- (d) whether any study has been conducted to ascertain the harmful effects of e- waste on environment, if so, the details and findings thereof; and
- (e) the  steps  taken  by  the  Government  to  ensure  better  management  of    e-waste  in  the country?

## ANSWER

MINISTER  OF  STATE  (INDEPENDENT  CHARGE)  FOR  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

(SHRI PRAKASH JAVADEKAR)

- (a) to (e):  A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

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Statement referred to in reply to Parts (a) to (e) of the Lok Sabha Starred     Question No 32 for answer on 26 th April, 2016 regarding 'e-Waste' raised by SHRI PRATHAP SIMHA:

- (a) No Madam.
- (b) Does not arise in view of answer at (a) above.
- (c) The e-waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 2011 and e-waste (Management) Rules, 2016 provide for a system of granting authorization and registration of environmentally sound dismantling and recycling facilities of ewaste. Presently one hundred and forty eight (148) dismantling and recycling facilities are authorized. The cumulative capacity of these authorized dismantlers and recyclers is 455059 Tonne per annum. CPCB in the year 2005 estimated 8 Lakh MT of e-waste generation in the country.
- (d) Ministry  has  not  carried  out  any  study  to  ascertain  the  harmful  effects  of  ewaste  on  environment  and  health.  However,  e-waste  contains  hazardous substances such as Lead, Cadmium, Mercury, Chromium VI, Polybrominated biphenyls  and  Polybrominated  diphenyl  ethers  in  their  components,  which may cause risk to health and environment if not managed in environmentally sound manner.
- (e) The Ministry has comprehensively revised e-waste Rules, 2011 and notified EWaste (Management) Rules in March, 2016 for effective and environmentally sound management of e-waste.

The salient features of e-waste (Management) Rules, 2016 are as follows:

- (i) Restructured Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) which has now been elaborated in terms of implementation procedure.
- (ii) The  procedure simplification has been introduced,  wherein  EPR Authorization for Producers is now being made CPCB's responsibility to ensure pan India implementation.
- (iii) Simplification in registration/ authorization for dismantling and recycling through one  system i.e. Authorization instead of both registration and authorisation is now introduced.
- (iv) Authorization is not required for Collection centers which shall now be Producers responsibility with collection mechanism approach.
- (v) The  target  based  approach  with  introduction  of  more  flexibility  for implementation  of  Extended  Producer  Responsibly  (EPR)  has  been introduced and phase wise target has been fixed for ease of compliance of the EPR by the Producers.
- (vi) Applicability  of  the  Rules  is  now  being  extended  to  components, consumables  and  spare  parts  of  EEE  which  makes  the  product operational.
- (vii) Compact Fluorescent Lamp (CFL) and other mercury containing lamp are brought under the purview of rules.
- (viii) Stakeholders  to  be  covered  under  the  rules  are  being  expanded  to manufacturer, dealer, refurbisher and e-retailer to address leakage of ewaste to informal sector at any stage of the chain.
- (ix) Option  has  been  given  for  setting  up  of  Producers  Responsibility Organization  (PRO),  e-waste  exchange,  Deposit  Refund  Scheme  as additional channel for implementation of EPR by Producers to ensure efficient channelization of e-waste.
- (x) Bulk Consumer is being redefined in terms of turnover and the number of employees and they need to file annual returns now.
- (xi) The  roles  of  the  State  Government  has  been  also  introduced  in  the Rules  in  order  to  ensure  safety,  health  and  skill  development  of  the workers involved in the dismantling and recycling operations.

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