Electronic Waste Can Be Recycled to Make Hybrid Materials
With the advent of quickly evolving high technology, people have developed a throwaway mentality. People immediately get rid of electronic items that they no longer require without understanding the amount of resources they are wasting and the danger they are causing to the environment. They must be aware of the fact that though they have unlimited gadgets and electronic items at their disposal, they have a very limited space for the disposal; and a fewer methods of safe disposal through authorised recyclers after the products’ end of life. The safest solution to the entire problem related to e-waste is electronic recycling. In a layman’s parlance, recycling is all about reusing things for the same purpose, like if you recycle glass, paper or plastic it can be re-used for the same purpose. However, when it comes to recycling a pile of e-waste the process is not that simple. It is complex. Namo E-Waste having its electronic waste recycling plant in India would like to bring to your notice that recycling of e-waste enables creation of new products and substances that can be used to enhance the physical properties of metals and alloys. According to an article published by IEEE Spectrum on August 6, 2020: · Research was carried out and it was revealed that some substances found in electronic waste can be recycled and converted to form a strong protective layer for steel. · After researching it was found that a regulated employment of heat can break and form new chemical bonds among substances present in e-waste to develop new materials that are environmentally friendly. For example, glass and plastic can be mixed to find their use in silicon-laden ceramics. · It is amazing to note that e-waste contains a lot of valuable materials that can be reformed to develop fresh products. · Copper ore contains only 3 % copper while printed circuit boards (PCB) contain about 10-20 % copper. Extracting copper from discarded PCBs is more economical than mining copper. Studies were conducted on the chemical properties of silica and copper compounds present in discarded PCBs and old computer monitors. The studies revealed that silica and copper derived from e-waste can be easily fused together to develop new hybrid substances. This new substance can be used to protect surfaces of metals against wear and corrosion. The new hybrid material was developed through a process involving the following steps: · Plastic powder created by crushing shells and monitor screens along with glass was heated to 1,500 degrees C. It produced silicon carbide wires with 10 to 50 nanometer diameter. · These nanowires of ceramic were fused with copper extracted from PCBs. The combined product was mixed on a surface of steel, which was later heated to 1,000 degrees C. · A film of 1 micron thickness of copper was formed atop the steel. · The experts found that the hybrid layer of micron-thickness enhanced the surface toughness of steel by almost 125%. It is interesting to note that: This regulated structural re-bonding of various elements developed novel properties that were far better than that of the original materials. For instance, the structure of metal possesses a better toughness but has a poor hardness, whereas a ceramic possess good hardness but is extremely brittle. Imagine the potential of e-waste! By just combining two substances together under regulated temperature experts created a totally new and different hybrid substance that has the hardness of a ceramic and toughness of a metal. Doesn’t this surprise you? You can save valuable resources from being ruined by not dumping your e-waste in the landfills! E-waste management in India is still in its nascent stage and more awareness needs to be created among people. Using the keywords, ‘e-waste collection centre near me’ search for the nearest e-waste collection centre of Namo E-Waste and carry out your national duty of disposing of the e-waste in a formal and legal manner. Conclusion The hybrid material produced by recycling electronic waste supports sustainable resource management which is the main concern these days by the Corporations.
Take Simple Steps to Clean Up the Major Sources of E-Waste
Technology has evolved at a fast pace in the last few years. We could hardly imagine a life sans GPS maps, laptops, smart devices, and our smartphones. In 2021, about 7.1 billion mobile phone users worldwide have been recorded. By 2022, this is expected to go up to 7.26 billion. In 2025, the number is likely to touch 7.49 billion. Do you realize the amount of e-waste the nation generates every year in the form of discarded electronic items? As a common man, you don’t! But there are environmental activists, governments, the local authorities, and e-waste management companies in India like Namo E-waste that are constantly worried about the harmful effects of the large amount of e-waste that we generate sub-consciously. They are constantly looking for ways to minimize the generation of e-waste or ways to recycle and reuse them so that their hazardous impact can be reduced to a great extent. They are trying to get plastics and precious metals extracted from the discarded mobile phones through mobile recycling to reuse and minimize mining for fresh materials. People consider recycling as the only option to minimize the generation of e-waste. Yes, recycling is one of the ways to do so but we can take small steps instead to help contribute to the reduction of e-waste production in the country. Also, because of low rates of recycling, people do not come forward to share their old electronic items. They must be made aware of the detrimental effects of e-waste on their health and the environment, in the long run, to motivate them to share their old end-of-shelf-life electronic items for recycling. For now, we can focus on easy to practice, simple ways to reduce e-waste. Before taking a look at the steps, it is important to understand these: The aim of reducing e-waste isn’t only about minimizing the environmental risks, it is a lot more. Reducing e-waste aids in conserving resources. Electronic waste recycling plants in India that recycle electronic parts derived from e-waste require considerably lower energy consumption than the ones that create new items. Consumers can help in bringing down the selling cost of fresh electronic goods by promoting the use of recycled parts in making new electronic devices. Using a recycled part is a more cost effective proposition for electronic and electrical equipment (EEE) manufacturers than seeking the new metals extracted through mining. They are also mandated to follow Extended Producers responsibility EPR guidelines. Remember the cost of manufacturing a fresh piece of electronic device is lessened if manufacturers can easily access from the recycling industry the spare parts they require. The most basic thing that a person can do to minimize e-waste generation is to create awareness about recycling. Now is the right time to take that next step and share your knowledge about e-waste with those who may not know about the health hazards that e-waste poses. Keep tabs on people in your circle who are about to buy a new electronic device. They may also have plans to dispose of their old devices. Reach out to them. Tell them about the idea of recycling it with a formal and authorised recycler like Namo E-waste. Knowing about the detrimental effects of hoarding old electronic devices is also important. This will encourage people to act swiftly and share them with formal e-waste recyclers. Tell people who appreciate recycling but are clueless about the ways to be a part of it, about recycling collection centers of Namo E-waste. They can easily initiate a pick up request by just calling or clicking on the request forms. Coming years will further witness an explosion in the use of new electronic devices hence a rise in the pile of discarded models. We must be prepared with a plan of action to deal with the new set of e-waste. The following simple to exercise strategies must be followed by all to help clean up the major sources of e-waste. Look at buying products that have a much longer shelf-life so that you don’t have to replace it early. Repair and reuse as frequently as possible. Try to get the electronic devices that have some life left, repaired, before buying a new one. If the device cannot be repaired, send it for recycling. Try to learn about the spare parts of your electronics. What are they made of and how harmful they can be after the use! The more knowledge you gain the more inclined you will be to buy items that are not harmful to your own health and the environment. Check the environmentally friendly label on the electronic device you are out to purchase. If it is labelled Energy Star it is good to buy as it is energy efficient. You can check for more such labels. Minimize the number of smart devices you own. Try and buy a multi-purpose device. No matter how big or small your electronic item is, it’s important to dispose of your e-waste in a formal manner. Learn more about security issues and the data deleting methods employed by e-waste recycling companies in India like Namo E-waste. They scrub all electronic devices’ data clean before sending it for recycling. There is no room left for cyber thieves to extract the information. Educate others who are hesitant to share their devices because of the data saved in it, about the same. This will compel more people to come forward and recycle their electronic devices. Maintenance of your electronic devices is important, it increases their shelf life. Small moves assist in keeping what you own working for a longer time. Clean your smart devices like computers and laptops etc. frequently. Do not overcharge your battery and enhance its overall lifespan.
Do not treat your old gadgets like garbage!
As the world has become tech-dependent and people upgrade their devices frequently, there emerges a fresh pile of old gadgets every now and then. A few million pounds of e-waste is processed on a monthly basis at just one recycling plant in India. Imagine the total amount generated across the country. The trouble begins when people start treating their old gadgets as garbage, which is not what any e-waste management company in India like Namo E-waste would want. You pick a phone with a 10-megapixel camera or the one that has 12 GB storage, it’s your choice. No one has a say in it. However, once you are done using the device, be as sensitive towards it as you were when you first bought it. It may no longer be precious for you but it still has some worth left in it and can support a sustainable ecosystem and a circular economy. As the next generation of devices is about to catch the fancy of a common user, e-waste experts are wondering and estimating the number of redundant devices the world would produce once 5 G becomes a reality in every nation. As per the experts, there will be a dramatic rise in e-waste. Millions of mobile phones, smart devices, modems as well as other electronic gadgets will become incompatible with the Wi-Fi network of 5G. The situation wasn’t this bad even when the world switched from black and white to the color era or when digital devices took over the analog devices. Already electronic waste is the fastest increasing stream of solid waste; where is it going to go from here! Refurbishing and resale Electronic recycling and refurbishing companies encourage consumers to gather their electronics thereafter, safely delete all their personal and other data present in the devices. Depending on the usability of these recollected devices they are sent for refurbishing or their spare parts are recycled. The refurbished electronic devices are resold. There are many authorized recyclers and registered e-waste recycling companies in India but due to lack of awareness among the consumers and lack of resources, we still manage to recycle only a part of the overall e-waste generated in the country. The remaining e-waste goes to the informal sector after being picked up by informal e-waste recyclers from the landfill; and not before some of its harmful substances like beryllium and mercury contaminate the environment! There are laws in place to not dump electronic waste in the regular bin yet people fail to abide by it. An expert based out of the US states that besides, environmental concerns, compressed inflammable batteries of smartphones containing lithium-ion have posed dangers many times while recycling along with paper in the past. There have been many reported cases of fire at recycling centers earlier. Drop them at the right place The Government has enforced various e-waste management-related laws including EPR extended producer responsibility, meant for the electrical and electronic equipment manufacturers to collect and recycle electronic devices once their shelf-life is over. For the consumers, there is no strict law; they have been given the choice to drop their old gadgets in a special bin outside their homes or at collection centers in India. They are also given exchange offers by electronic brands. However, even after knowing all this, many consumers either dump their gadgets in the regular bin or let them remain unattended for years in their storerooms. This must change. It’s for your own betterment. Remember you are a cohabitant in this world. You must not damage the environment for the sake of your convenience. It is your responsibility as well as a duty towards the environment to drop off your e-waste for recycling and save the surroundings from the harmful effects of e-waste.
82% of India’s e-waste consists of personal devices. Why should it be a concern?
In a period of just five years, India had recorded a growth of 43% in its e-waste generation. The country generates about 3.2MT of e-waste annually and the number is expected to increase in the coming years. Also, about 82 % of India’s e-waste consists only of personal devices. Why is all this alarming? What can the citizens do to control it? The three major reasons that keep adding to the pertinent and grave issue of e-waste generation in India are: Till today e-waste in India is routed via the informal channels having no safety measures and mostly employing underage children. This is an issue in itself. When informal means are used to dispose of e-waste, hazardous substances like mercury, glass, lead, chromium, and arsenic, etc. reach the landfills and contaminate the environment. All this has bad repercussions on the health of those people residing in the vicinity of e-waste dumps. Lack of awareness regarding safe disposal of e-waste among people further makes the implementation of rules and guidelines difficult even after so many governmental initiatives and measures. Besides the above-mentioned challenges, the increased generation of e-waste especially personal devices is because of the rise in the consumption of digital and smart devices at household levels. The sale and usage of gadgets such as smartphones, refrigerators, televisions, and washing machines, etc have increased drastically in the past couple of decades. At the office level, we have witnessed an enhanced usage of Information and Technology devices that are discarded and upgraded in a few years as the innovative technology hits the market. Also with the increased competition in the market, the equipment is manufactured with shorter durability. The concept of repairing and reusing is not yet followed in our country. Also, the ecosystem for the same must be strengthened, which is lacking somewhere. Like we mentioned earlier progressive rules and guidelines have been laid down and manufacturers and brands are held accountable for a large number of e-waste generations yet very little could be done in terms of implementation of the rules and supervision. The extended producer responsibility (EPR) rules make manufacturers of electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) responsible for re-collection of the sold devices after their durability is over otherwise it could pile up in the form of electronic waste. The same is then sent for recycling. To facilitate the process of collection and e-waste recycling the manufacturers and brands hire PROs, Producer Responsibility Organizations. They form a deal with the brands and help them in achieving mandatory compliance regarding electronic waste. They are given big targets. TheCentral Pollution Control Board or CPCB has formed goals for about five years for them depending on the trade of their electronics items and goods in the country. The system has been brought in place to control the generation of large amounts of e-waste. The rules have been strictly followed with participation from the manufacturers and brands. However, without the participation of the consumers, the practice of recycling the required number of e-waste is incomplete. The enforcement and implementation must be accelerated to control the menace of e-waste generation. Consumers must be made aware to make sure that the e-waste that they generate is handed over to the e-waste collection centers which can be further sent for recycling at the right time. Apart from the mobile and smart devices, most commonly, tube lights containing hazardous mercury and glass as well as the big and small batteries form the part of e-waste at homes. Consumers must be taught, at least, to restore the discarded electronic items in their original packaging. Most packaging comes with toll-free contact numbers of the nearest collection center. Many of these collection centers are also set up by many e-waste management companies in Indialike Namo E-Waste. Citizens must act responsibly and send discarded electronic items for e-waste recycling. Informal methods of electronic recycling and disposing of e-waste must be avoided at any cost. Also instead of dumping away tonnes of old electronics, citizens must learn to fix them if they have life left in them. Promoting the concept of fixing and repairing electronics items will help in generating jobs. Also, there are people who are ready to accept refurbished electronics such as TV sets, refrigerators, and telephones, etc. There is a ready ecosystem regarding consumption at that level. We need to channelize the old items to make them reach people who need them. All this will help sort the issue of e-waste generation in India to a large extent.
Strategies to Follow to Reduce E-waste Generation
Technology keeps changing almost every day. There is always a new gadget, device, or smartphone on the market daily. People make a beeline to buy the latest technology, use it for a while and move on to the next, leaving the previous device to gather dust somewhere in the house or their office. There are innumerable gadgets, wires, memory sticks, and batteries in every household that needs attention. In the race to buy the latest technology, we tend to accumulate the amount of e-waste that we cannot handle without seeking help from an e-waste management company like Namo E-waste, which has an electronic waste recycling plant in India. Although all e-waste management companies in India are always at your beck and call, it is good for the environment and our planet to keep the e-waste generation under control. There are many ways through which we can reduce the production of e-waste, at least in our household. Stay organized The first step to e-waste management is to remain aware. In order to get an idea about the electrical and electronics items that you don’t require and should get rid of, you must keep them organized at home. Especially, wires, chargers, connectors, and cables must be organized otherwise you will not know what you need to eliminate in terms of e-waste, in the first place. Sometimes due to ignorance, we end up buying something that is already lying in our attic like an extension board or connector, etc. Save yourself from buying things that you already have by staying organized. Purchase bare minimum Like we mentioned earlier, sometimes we buy things just for the heck of it, we don’t really need them. Buying unnecessary devices and gadgets is the primary cause of e-waste generation. Check if you really require the electronic device that you are going to purchase. If you do not need it, save yourself from bringing home something that will add to the pile of e-waste and we all know how harmful e-waste is for our health, environment, and the entire ecosystem. Buy Back programs Many electronics stores run buy-back programs. Before buying electronics items like cameras and computers etc, ask customer care if they have any options to buy or exchange your old items. Such options enable you to do away with your old items in exchange for the new ones, saving money for you. This will support the mobile recyclingdrive too. Donate e-waste The moment you are done using your old smartphone, donate it to someone who needs it. Donations are one of the best ways to keep clearing your e-waste in time before it piles up and becomes difficult to manage. For electronic recycling, you may also choose to hand over the same to Namo E-waste by visiting their website. Store in the cloud Many IT giants offer their cloud storage service, make the best use of the same and keep buying bulky servers or unnecessary hardware at bay. This should be practiced for both personal and official usage to minimize e-waste production. Storing your data in the cloud makes syncing and accessing files through multiple devices easier. It saves the finances which are otherwise used to buy a server. Sell your old electronics item There are many websites that enable you to sell your old items. If you wish to get rid of your old electronics items and make money too, you may seek help from these sites and sell your old electronics products. From TV sets to computers and even smartphones, you can sell all that you want. This will foster mobile recycling. Send it for recycling Explore the options in your area where e-waste is collected for recycling; search for ‘e-waste collection center near me.’ Namo, the best e-waste recycler in India, also has many e-waste collection centers across the country. Connect with the staff at these collection centers and dispose of your e-waste there, which may be then sent for electronic recycling depending on its reusability. Also, look for a door-to-door e-waste collection drive that will make your task easier. Create awareness among people around you We all know how e-waste has toxic substances in it and should not be disposed of informally as it could be detrimental to our health and environment. There is a right way to do the same. Seek help from e-waste management companies in case it gets difficult to manage but avoid handing your e-waste to rag pickers and informal e-waste recyclers. Educate people around you to recycle through authorized recycler. This will help them minimize and manage e-waste better.
E-Waste Recycling EPR Policies Followed by EEE Manufacturers
E-waste recycling, which includes both management as well as handling, rules were laid down in 2011 and made effective in 2012. All mobile and telephone producers must successfully implement e-waste rules and manage e-waste following all rules set for various aspects of e-waste management. The new guidelines with respect to the management of e-waste issued by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) were made effective in 2017. The new rules were made applicable for all big and small producers, bulk or small scale consumers, recycling items collection points, dismantlers along recyclers of e-waste. It has been made mandatory for every stakeholder engaged in the production, purchase, sale, or processing of electrical and electronics equipment (EEE). The electronic and electrical equipment are covered within the set rules, through Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR). Target-based outlook for carrying out of EPR is employed in the e-waste management and handling rules, 2016, which lays emphasis on the phase-wise recovering target set for mobile phone producers with respect to the gathering and recycling of e-waste, be it in counts or weight for a particular category. Also, the fresh set targets are given for the periodic sales according to the life-cycle fulfillment of every category. Many mobile manufacturers in India in a short span of time have upgraded their processes to suit the mandate set by the amendment of the E-Waste Rules of 2016. They try to follow all the specified rules for extended producer responsibility, collection centers, channelization, storage, dismantling, recycling, refurbishment, transportation, and testing and sampling of EEE. E-waste collection as per EPR Most mobile manufacturers and sellers have developed their internal standard procedures to collect as well as recycle e-waste to strictly follow e-waste guidelines. They need to create awareness for collection from individual consumers as well as bulk consumers. In this regard, they have prepared a training module. Most of these EEE manufacturers have developed an integrated all-India collection system in association with their selected PROs (Producer Responsibility Organization). A clear mandate has been imparted to the selected PROs to recover e-wastes for their respective states. The PROs in return channelize the recovered recycling items to the fixed dismantlers as well as recyclers to carry out the environmentally friendly recycling process that fulfills the guidelines set under e-waste rules. Collection centers as per EPR Following the e-waste management guidelines, the EEE manufacturers have committed themselves to the recovery of e-waste across India. For this, they have built many collection centers at various locations in different cities. They manage the collection and recycling of e-waste through their own recycling item collection centers and that of their fixed PRO. The appointed PRO has been directed to recover the collected load within 180 days of deposition by consumers. Guidelines for consumers as per EPR A quick set of guidelines was released for consumers of electrical and electronic goods by the producers following EPRguidelines: · Check the life-cycle of the product · Call for any query related to product recycling · Hand over e-waste exclusively at the set collection center of the brand · There is a provision of earning incentives for handing over of e-waste in a formal way · Gather all unused e-waste items and later hand them over to the registered recycler only · Acknowledge the exchange program offered by the brand · After replacement of any part, drop the scrap parts in the e-waste drop box at the repair center · Do not throw away e-waste into a general garbage bin · Do not hand over e-waste to scrap dealers for a petty cash · Do not dispose of e-waste in landfills · Do not open discarded electronics on your own, it has hazardous substances. · Do not open any electronic or electrical parts or components on your own. Namo E-Waste is one of the largest e-waste management companies in India, having its collection centers in multiple cities.
Five Ways to Increase Citizen Participation in e-waste management
All of the waste management strategies require the participation of the citizenry to be efficient and effective. E-waste management is no different and since it is harder to dispose of than normal garbage, participation from citizens becomes even more important. Here are the five ways in which citizen participation in e-waste management can be increased: By raising awareness about harms of e-waste Most of the people are still unaware about the great threat that e-waste is. They have no knowledge of the poisonous chemicals and heavy metals involved in the electronics which cause severe diseases in human beings and pollute the environment around us. So, the first step should be to run awareness campaigns about e-waste to educate the masses. Any concerted action in e-waste management would require the support of the people and support can only be expected when they are aware about the problem. Major electronic brands should take initiative All of the major brands spend a lot of their resources to properly advertise their products. They are major stake-holders when it comes to anything related to electronics. They can add one or two lines about e-waste management in their advertisements. This would surely raise the awareness regarding the electronic waste. EPR extended producer responsibility must be fostered. They should also try to devise strategies to make more and more people replace their previous smartphones, laptops and other devices while buying a new one. It would incentivize people to replace their electronic products rather than throwing them away. Civil society should gear up Civil society should keep finding interesting ways to increase participation of people in e-waste management. They can organize small drives at local levels to make people aware about the menace of electronic waste. In those drives, they can collect used electronic items from the people, refurbish them a bit and re-distribute them among the needy students and people. On one hand this will help them while on the other hand it will also connect people directly in the fight against e-waste. Robust efforts from government Namo E-waste, the best e-waste recycler in India, believes that the Indian government has launched various initiatives regarding e-waste management but government policies regarding e-waste have achieved little success because people are oblivious to the issue of e-waste. Government should bring in all the resources including government schools, universities, colleges and offices to engage with people by conducting workshops, programs and drives. Municipal Corporations and local administration should be made more sensitive to the issue of e-waste. Strong guidelines must be issued and proper supervision should be conducted. In addition to this, the government can also engage local bodies at Village Panchayat levels to reach out to the people living in the countryside. Reaching out to children Children are not only more perceptive to environmental concerns but they are also the citizens of tomorrow and therefore it is very necessary to reach out to them. E-waste management, methods of its disposal and concepts of reusing and recycling should be thoroughly taught at all levels so that they can become the actors of change. Educating Children will not only bring awareness to their homes and parents but it will also create a foundation for a better tomorrow.
Circular Economy Approach to E-Waste Management
The Conventional Economic System was based on linear models where natural resources were exploited and converted into some products which were to become waste eventually. There was no flexibility in crafting and design of products so that they could be reused or recycled. On the other hand, the Circular Economy Approach works on an innovative economic model to tackle the global crises of pollution, loss of biodiversity, climate change and e-waste management. A circular economy approach favours closed loop systems where resources are employed carefully to create innovative products which can be used for longer periods of time by reusing, sharing, refurbishing and recycling. Longer periods and smart design also imply greater productivity. Therefore, the circular economy approach is going to be the backbone of sustainable economies of the future. Presently, millions of tons of electronic waste is produced every year around the globe because of the conventional economic system. Even in most advanced parts of the world like the European Union, less than 50 percent of total e-waste produced undergoes recycling. This dismal state of affairs can be changed by applying a circular economy approach to management of e-waste. People must be made part of this approach, mobile recycling must be encouraged as much as possible. Circular economy runs on proper recycling. In fact, any circular economy will require a dedicated recycling industry. Therefore, an e-waste recycling industry should be developed. In India, most of the recycling work is done by untrained rag-pickers because of lack of awareness about the circular model of economy. More formal e-waste management practices must be supported. In the waste management industry, extended producer responsibility (EPR) strategy is employed that entails adding the lifetime environmental costs of a product to the selling price of that product. The EPR legislation drives the implementation of remanufacturing initiatives. A robust recycling industry supported by recycling culture with the proper implementation of EPR, extended producer responsibility, is the need of the hour. Reusing of products is also important in closed loop economic systems. There are various households in India, which throw away their older phones, laptops and tablets once they bring the latest models. At the same time there are various households where having a smartphone is luxury. Circular economy approach can be used to create such pathways in the economy where used electronic products are redistributed amongst the underprivileged and reused. One good example can be collecting electronic gadgets from cities and redistributing them in schools and slums where students can use them to avail the benefits of modern education. This will increase the productivity of the electronic gadget and help in constraining the menace of e-waste. There are many electronic waste recycling plants in India like Namo E-Waste that are working towards implementing a circular economy approach to enable sustainable resources. Development of the urban mining sector has so much potential that it can dramatically reduce electronic waste. For example, it is easier to extract 1 kg of gold from used electronic devices than digging it from a mine. Although metals are extracted from devices in India, the efficiency is very low because it is not seen as a valuable enterprise. If it is developed into an industry, a lot of metals can be extracted from the electronic waste which will increase the circularity of the economy. Namo E-waste, an e-waste management company in India supports a circular economy approach and is working towards making extraction of metals from e-waste efficient and convenient. Therefore, the circular economy approach and closed loop models are futuristic and it is high time to bring them into action as e-waste production is going to increase exponentially in the future and if proper steps are not taken it will cause irreparable damage to our environment at all levels.
The management of e-waste and data security issues have increased due to COVID-19
Surprising but true; the COVID-19 pandemic has had a tremendous impact on e-waste generation and management. Several researches and surveys have shown that due to COVID-19 induced lockdowns and the subsequent change in the work culture, about 50 % enterprises worldwide had to shift their focus towards managing the ‘no-longer-in-use’ electronics. On one hand, as the digitalization of many businesses happened, old devices were left redundant. This substantially increased the pile of e-waste in most enterprises. On the other hand, as the place of work shifted from office to home, many companies had to buy portable devices like laptops, tablets etc. Companies based in countries like Germany and the US bought more smartphones in comparison to laptops while tablets occupied the third place in terms of number of purchases made. In France, Japan and the UK laptops and tablets were purchased more than smartphones. The purchases of personal devices were mainly for the children of the staff regarding their online schooling. Some businesses having sensitive information and data went in for new devices which they then cycled through their office to include security apps and software. In some time, when things get back to 100 % normal state the business owners expect the devices to reach back to the company and form part of a shared device system. Data Security The challenge of e-waste management increased because businesses almost overnight increased the number of devices they owned and used. Also enhancing the amount of data stored on each one of them. Transition to innovative and updated technology to enable employees’ operation from remote work locations due to the safety reasons also gave birth to the issue of data security. Already dealing with the undesired short-term investment in novel technologies, businesses had to face the added challenge of not just increased volume of e-waste but also data security. The best part is that the burgeoning issue of e-waste management in such a crucial time is not overlooked and formal methods are being considered to dispose of electronic waste. The issue of protection of confidential data during the process of disposing of e-waste has worried the decision makers. The right way of data sanitization may sometimes be overlooked as part of e-waste policies, but the desperate time calls for engagement of best practices with respect to data management. This will not just minimize the hazardous impact of e-waste on the environment but also rule out the threat of a data breach once the devices reach end-of-life. Policy It is noteworthy that various businesses have put into practice management of e-waste as one of the aftermaths of the pandemic, exhibiting corporate social responsibility (CSR), but they are confused about how to handle the unused electrical and electronics devices once they reach end-of-life. Many of these businesses have the necessary e-waste policy in place for the management of Waste from Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) but the same has not been implemented in time. Further many planned e-waste endeavours struggled amid the modern enterprise due to a lack of ownership with respect to the communication pertaining to the compliance and implementation of the policies. The studies also revealed that 27% of the respondents were willing to erase the data in the device for reuse, 28% wished to erase it for resale and only 12% were ready to erase the data for recycling. Way forward These companies must hire e-waste disposal services of e-waste recycling companieslike Namo E-Waste. With its e-waste recycling plant in Indiaand manye-waste collection centresacross the country, Namo can easily find solutions to the challenges faced by such companies regarding e-waste management and recycling. The companies just need to search for an ‘e-waste collection centre near me’, Namo will appear to rescue them!
Better implementation of the EPR Rules is Important
India is the third-largest e-waste generating country in the world. China along with the United States is ahead of it. Reportedly, our country produces about 3 million tonnes of e-waste in a year; it is expected to go up to 5 million tonnes this year, that is, 2021. The Centre had laid down rules, with respect to e-waste management and the most important of them is Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), in 2016 which was recently updated in 2021. The rule states that it is mandatory for electric and electronic equipment manufacturers to return their pile of e-waste to authorized recyclers. The scenario post EPR implementation Even after the EPR guidelines, there is a lot that needs to be done in India with respect to e-waste management. Reportedly there is no specific mechanism to confirm if EPR is being implemented perfectly. Random inspections can be carried out by the CPCB (Central Pollution Control Board) or state PCBs, but there isn’t any record regarding the same. It is difficult to gauge if the rule is properly followed or abided by the manufacturers. There are still a number of issues pertaining to e-waste collection and management prevalent in the country. More supervision is required. Manufacturers need to cooperate more with the authorized e-waste recyclers in the country. India has many producer responsibility organizations (PRO). These are authorized organizations that take the responsibility for the scientific management of e-waste generated from discarded electrical and electronic products to have a sustainable environment. Their work must be traced to understand what their contribution towards creating a greener environment is. All these organizations are competent enough that is how they have been granted the license to be the PRO but the co-operation must be from all levels and the e-waste generators, mainly from bulk e-waste producers. All stakeholders must contribute equally to efficiently make the country e-waste free. Awareness along with cooperation is the key Creating awareness so that the users of electronic and electrical products hand over their discarded items in a reasonable and efficient way is important. People must understand why it is important to recycle and dispose of e-waste in a suitable manner. E-waste collection and recycling companies like Namo E-Waste have carried out many initiatives in this regard and have also made the collection procedure convenient for them. People are made aware of how and where to go with their e-waste items. These recycling companies are doing all they can to build a responsible image and get people to recycle their e-waste. They even go door-to-door collecting the e-waste. Best EPR practices Europe leads the list when it comes to having the best EPR practices. The EPR systems implemented in European countries like Austria, Switzerland, Germany, Scandinavia, and Netherlands are quite effective but they too have their own set of challenges. They differ from India in implementing their rules better. The guidelines laid down are actually being made to follow. India can do a lot better if the proper implementation of EPR guidelines is ensured. Salient features of the updated EPR guidelines according to the OECD’s (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) website: Focus on target based approach More flexibility for implementation of EPR Pan India EPR Authorization of Producers Additional Options- PRO, e-waste exchange, Deposit Refund scheme Collection- Producer’s responsibility, collection mechanism approach and no separate authorization E-retailers now Producers CFL and other mercury containing lamp brought under the purview of rules. Extended to manufacturers, dealers and refurbishers Exemption – only for micro enterprises Bulk Consumer- need to file annual returns now. Only one permission- Authorization for all stakeholders including dismantlers and recyclers. Inter-state transportation- strengthen the mechanism Liability clause- penalty for violation of the rules State Govt Responsibility- allot space, skill development, health and safety of workers
