Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
Parliament Question:- Recycling of e-waste
Posted On: 19 DEC 2024 6:01PM by PIB Delhi
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 1st April, 2023. The objective of the said rules is to take all steps required to ensure that e-waste is managed in a manner which shall protect health and environment against any adverse effects, which may result from such e-waste. These new rules intend to manage e-waste in an environmentally sound manner and put in place an improved Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regime for e-waste recycling wherein all the manufacturer, producer, refurbisher and recycler are required to register on portal developed by the Central Pollution Control Board. The new provisions would facilitate and channelize the informal sector to formal sector for doing business and ensure recycling of e-waste in environmentally sound manner. Provisions for environmental compensation and verification & audit have also been introduced. These rules also promote Circular Economy through EPR regime and scientific recycling/disposal of the e-waste.
The objective of the said rules is directly aligned with the goals of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, focusing on e-waste reduction, reuse and proper disposal, accountability and environmental sustainability. By promoting recycling, refurbishing and reducing waste, these measures help conserve resources, lower greenhouse gas emissions, and support the broader agenda of sustainable development such as circular economy and resource efficiency.
As per the E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2022, the urban and rural bodies have been given responsibilities under Schedule V of said Rules to ensure that e-waste, if found to be mixed with Municipal Solid Waste is properly segregated, collected and is channelized to registered recycler or refurbisher. It is also to ensure that e-waste pertaining to orphan products is collected and channelized to registered recycler or refurbisher, facilitate setting up e-waste collection, segregation and disposal systems and conducting training sessions to develop capacities of the urban and rural local bodies. Further, the industries who are producers of e-waste have also been given responsibilities for proper management of e-waste under rule 6 of the said Rules. As per the rules, producers are mandated to register on the EPR portal, obtaining and implementing Extended Producer Responsibility targets as per Schedule-III and Schedule-IV through the portal, creating awareness through media, publications, advertisements, posters or by any other means of communication. Producers are also mandated to file annual and quarterly returns in the laid down form on the portal on or before the end of the month succeeding the quarter or year, as the case may be, to which the return relates.
Plans to enhance awareness and establish effective e-waste recycling infrastructure across the country are as follows:
- Implementation of E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2022 through enforcement of Action plan for Management of E-Waste. The Action Plan is being implemented through State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs)/ Pollution Control Committees (PCCs). The action plan contains components on mass awareness of general public through Information, Education and Communication Plan to be framed by State Governments. The said Action Plan also includes checking informal traders, 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 the district administration of the State.
- Integrate more stakeholders and improve transparency through e-waste EPR Portal.
- Auditing of stakeholders through e-waste EPR Portal.
- Managing uncollected, historical, and orphaned e-waste, through local bodies.
- Co-ordination with state governments and local bodies to develop capacity for management of e-waste.
- Organize programs to raise public awareness about e-waste management and recycling.
This information was given by Union Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Shri Kirti Vardhan Singh in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha today.
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