What are the rules and regulations regarding e-waste disposal in India?

The phase-wise collection targets for e-waste in weight shall be 10% of the quantity of waste generation as indicated in the EPR Plan during 2017-18, with a 10% increase every year until 2023. After 2023 onwards, the target has been made 70% of the quantity of waste generation as indicated in the EPR Plan.

Is e-waste import allowed in India?

However, as per the estimates of the Directorate General of Foreign Trade, illegal import of e-waste in the country stands at about 50,000 tonnes annually. Then there is the Customs Tariff Act that says new computers can be imported in India for free, but it does not mention anything on used computers.

How does India deal with e-waste?

Ninety-five percentage of the e- waste in India is being recycled in non- formal sector and five percentage of the e- waste volume are handled in formal unit. In and around of metropolitan cities in India, there are over 3000 units engaged in non-formal sector for e-waste recycling.

What is mandatory according to the e-waste Rules 2011?

The e-waste (management and handling) Rules, 2011 recognises the producers’ liability for recycling and reducing e-waste in the country. They also have to maintain records of e-wastes generated by them and make such records available with State Pollution Control Boards or the Pollution Control Committees.

Where is e-waste dumped in India?

Seelampur in Delhi is the largest e-waste dismantling centre of India. Adults as well as children spend 8–10 hours daily extracting reusable components and precious metals like copper, gold and various functional parts from the devices. E-waste recyclers use processes such as open incineration and acid-leeching.

What is e-waste policy?

E-waste (Management) Rules, 2016 was enacted on October 1, 2017. Over 21 products (Schedule-I) were included under the purview of the rule. The rule also extended its purview to components or consumables or parts or spares of Electrical and Electronic Equipment (EEE), along with their products.

Who is responsible for e-waste in India?

The main sources of electronic waste in India are the government, public and private (industrial) sectors, which account for almost 70 per cent of total waste generation. The contribution of individual households is relatively small at about 15 per cent; the rest being contributed by manufacturers.

How is e-waste disposed of?

Proper or formal e-waste recycling usually involves disassembling the electronics, separating and categorizing the contents by material and cleaning them. Items are then shredded mechanically for further sorting with advanced separation technologies.

How many days e-waste can be stored?

consumers / bulk consumers. consumers can be approached for collection of e-waste / end of life products. e-waste for a period not exceeding one hundred and eighty (180) days and shall maintain a record of collection, sale, transfer and storage of wastes and make these records available for inspection.

How is e-waste collected?

As no formal collection scheme for e-waste exists, collection takes place through informal collectors. There are thousands of peddlers who collect disposed appliances from end users and sell them to service shops or traders. They are seen as ‘saviours’ for e-waste, achieving high collections rates [23].