Data Breach Risks are high in Ineffective E-waste Management Techniques
Holiday season is around the corner; when the sale and gifting of electronic gadgets go up. People give phones and smart devices to family members and friends. This implies that the pile of discarded electronic devices goes up. People must consider recycling or gifting their old devices in order to enable sustainable resources. However, in all this, the point of concern is data security. Ineffective ways to recycle e-waste give way to data breaches. Cybersecurity is a concern these days. Personal information in e-waste units and data security Many times, it has been found that hard disk drives, smart devices, and solid-state drives contain residual data that is enough for cyber thieves to steal data. The sale of discarded electronics without the proper deletion of data creates a major risk for the consumers as well as the authorized recyclers. The residual data can be present in the form of several call logs, leftover emails, texts, videos, and pictures. Experts believe that such data is easily retrievable by people who know the trade. Some e-waste management companies unsuccessfully try to delete data from electronic devices. The most common reason behind this could be the use of unreliable methods for data deletion. The ineffective methods of data removal leave personal information completely exposed, which may be accessible to potential cybercriminals. All common means of data removal are ineffective. Businesses must be concerned about data security as their intellectual property can get stolen or misused. Manually erasing data or signing out of the devices doesn’t mean the data is deleted forever and cannot be retrieved. People who give their phones for reuse or recycling must be made aware of this fact. The data can easily be recovered by cybercriminals and hackers. Consumers must know, in fact, it is difficult to delete data from devices. Namo E-waste’s Safe Collection and Data Destruction Process Namo E-waste, an e-waste management company in India, which is also known to be an innovator with respect to e-waste disposal, provides a leading solution with 100% transparency pertaining to 100% e-waste data security while conducting electronic recycling or mobile recycling. The company not only takes up initiatives to make people aware of the right methods for e-waste disposal but also encourages them to avoid e-waste from piling up, recycling, and conserving natural resources. Electronic products that majorly contain data are computers, printers, smartphones, servers, and laptops. Digitalization has made the world stay connected and has also made people’s lives convenient, but they must be careful with respect to the threats that digital personal data is prone to. Laws concerning data security describe the way to secure personal data on active software and methods to delete the information when the consumer no longer uses the tools. However, due to a lack of awareness people end up making mistakes. Electronics get stolen during transport the most. This includes even the e-waste because of the stored data. Namo E-waste’s unique steps regarding the e-waste recycling chain make e-waste disposal secure and safe for consumers. Safe Collection ∙ Instead of using open collection containers for recycling Namo E-waste uses covered boxes, ∙ The boxes are locked during transportation and the entire process. ∙ Apart from the recipient and the sender, no one else knows the passcode of the containers to avert the loss of devices. ∙ The security is reinforced during logistics, by scanning the recycling units before sending. ∙ The scanning begins at the receiving warehouse right when the box is opened. Unique Tracking ∙ The scanned data is mapped to the shipment ID which is unique to track the recycling units during logistics. ∙ All scans are documented in a database. ∙ For clear identification, transport documents are mapped to the shipment ID stored in the database. ∙ A digital platform enables paperless and safe documentation! Secured Receiving ∙ At the receiving end, certified partners unlock the security boxes. ∙ Each unit is scanned with a barcode and flagged as ‘received. ∙ The sharing of real-time tracking details about each unit confirms the arrival of units at the recycling facility. ∙ Efforts are made to minimize additional hubs to avert the loss of the recycling units during transport. ∙ A smart scanning module is employed to improve the whole process for its efficiency Impeccable Data security ∙ Data security and e-waste management go hand-in-gloves. ∙ Devices are managed by trained staff for complete data destruction. ∙ Namo E-waste offers the secure destruction of sensitive data. ∙ They issue certificates of data sanitization and certificates of data destruction if requested ∙ Different methods of IT equipment having data storage functionalities are employed. ∙ The recycling units are completely dismantled and recycling of secondary raw materials is conducted. Points to remember ∙ As per the e-waste hierarchy, recycling devices must be sorted for their re-usable value before scrapping them. ∙ The possibilities of reusing must be made aware to the e-waste sender during concept creation. ∙ Recycling and reusing are the best ways to show your concern for the earth’s resources. ∙ If you choose to send the item for re-use ensure that your recycling partner deletes all the sensitive data from the devices before re-using them. ∙ You must review the security standards employed and maintained by the authorized recycler you choose. ∙ Ensure that standard processes are implemented in the recycling operations. ∙ Never compromise with respect to your electronic recycling processes in terms of security as well as environmental aspects. ∙ As long as you are alert, you can ensure both; the safety of your personal information as well as keeping the environment safe.
Electronic Take-Back Programs
Electronic take-back and recycling program is so designed as to extract and subsequently reuse the substances present in the electronic equipment collected. Over 99 percent of the e-waste shared by consumers is processed for recycling. Generally, take-back programs are initiated by a retailer or a manufacturer of electrical and electronics goods. The aim of the program is to gather old materials and products that are no longer used by the consumers and eventually reintroduce the products to the original plant of manufacturing for processing and recycling. Best Practices in Electronics Take-Back Programs India can take a leaf from the book on the e-waste take-back program of the US. There are many states that are performing well in terms of electronics take-back initiatives. Some of them have shared best practices and measures they take to make the take-back program a success. These states have recorded the highest collection volume of e-waste from the consumers. The states also have mandatory guidelines wherein the companies into electronic and electrical manufacturing goods have to conduct take-back programs. The e-waste collection ratio of these states is about 4 to 6.3 pounds per capita as compared to 1 pound per capita in other states that do not follow take-back programs or best practices like the following: · No set bar for consumer electronics waste: The key to receiving a high amount of e-waste is to accept all kinds of electronic products covering a wider range. This enhances the collection efficiency, allocates economic responsibility more moderately, confine more e-waste materials, and make the whole process for the public simpler. · Collection targets: Collection targets mean a fixed level playing in the field for the manufacturers and result in a high collection volume. · Giving collection incentives: Giving incentives for the amount of collection also ensures a large number of participants in the program. · Formalize informal sector. The authorities can provide aid/support in formalizing the informal sector. The restrictions imposed on informal ways to dispose of e-waste itself will create awareness among consumers. Once the awareness is there, people will try to dispose of their e-waste in a formal manner that is by handing them over to the authorized recycler or dropping them at the collection center. For this, the right infrastructure must be in place. · Collection drive organized for residents: This will ensure no amount of electronics waste ends up in the regular bins or landfills. End consumers make up a large part of the electronic buying customers but constitute only 26 % of the recycled e-waste by volume. Typical homes hoard a larger number of e-waste than commercial units. The pile of e-waste could be five times more than e-waste hoarded at business establishments. · Certification: There should be a certification by a third party for electronics recyclers. It is vital to lay stress on and implement best practices in order to collect more e-waste. Both collectors, as well as recyclers, must be encouraged to follow best practices to ensure proper management of e-waste in a state by e-waste management companies in India. Producers’ and manufacturers’ responsibility towards collection The extended producer responsibility (EPR) guidelines enable producers and manufacturers to take up a broad range of steps to achieve the e-waste targets in terms of collection. Setting up authorized collection points and centers is a must. Apart from this, they can take measures such as deposit refund plan, buyback, setting up of electronic waste take-back counters, and working in tandem with online sellers. Producers must obtain EPR authorization from the governing body. Failing to do the same must restrict them from importing. Producers and manufacturers must file an EPR plan to the concerned authority to ensure the maximum amount of e-waste collection for electronic recycling from the end-users.
Sustainable Management of Electronics
For a long time, globally there were unsustainable development patterns which along with climate changes compelled the United Nations to come up with 17 SDGs (sustainable development goals). The same was launched in 2015. These set of goals made government, businesses, and society accountable in terms of following a sustainable path, especially in terms of e-waste management. Once the SDGs were introduced, companies across the world, including biggies like Microsoft, GE, Dell, and Google, made efforts to synchronize their manufacturing process and operations to include as many SDGs as possible to achieve a sustainable management of electronics. Big Indian companies are the bulk electronic consumers and producers of e-waste. The major part of responsible management of electronics lies on them. They must exhibit an integrated practice to follow SDGs and enable sustainable resources and efficient management of e-waste. Let’s find out what it takes to align SDGs with sustainable e-waste management. Some SDGs are directly linked with e-waste recycling and management in India. SDG that focuses on sanitation and clean water stresses on enhancing water quality which can be achieved by minimizing pollution, doing away with dumping and reducing direct exposure to harmful chemicals as well as substances to safeguard/restore water connected ecosystems. This is SDG 6 and is very much relevant for companies into safe and sustainable management of e-waste. Another SDG taking care of responsible production and consumption focuses on efficient management and sustainable use of resources, environmentally friendly management of substances and chemicals, and regulation of wastes is relevant for companies planning holistic e-waste management. Even the other aspect of the SDG number 12 focuses on minimization of waste production, by following prevention, recycling, reducing and reusing, is also connected with sustainable management of e-waste by businesses interested in the same. So are Indian electronic and electrical equipment manufacturing companies exhibiting an inclusive approach with respect to e-waste management? As per a report published by BusinessWorld, many companies aren’t following an integrated e-waste management approach including policies that enable sustainability. They have a lot to be done to interlink SDGs with their working methods. Even extended producers responsibility(EPR) guidelines are in line with the sustainable development goal number 12. It can be employed to align e-waste management with SDGs. Going by the environmental policy perspective, EPR pertaining to e-waste management if followed by the respective firms can integrate a sustainable approach regarding waste disposal at electronics design level itself. The EPR is a vital tool to solve the issues of environmental degradation due to the mammoth amount of e-waste generation. By abiding by such efficient policies, relevant firms can easily touch upon their complete value chain which will eventually result in a sustainable way of handling e-waste production and management. Indian firms can follow the best practice of global IT leaders like Intel and Google that employ an integrated strategy that is aligned with SDGs. Google follows: · SDG 4(ensure education) · SDG 8(promote economic growth and decent work) · SDG 9 (build infrastructure and foster innovation) · SDG 17(strengthen means of implementation) Intel follows SDG 4, SDG 8, and SDG 12 that are well aligned with its business strategies. Companies cannot perceive strategies regarding e-waste management and SDGs as distinct and not interlinked strategies. They must, instead, adopt a comprehensive as well as inclusive approach towards both and reap benefits that are also in the interest of the nation and its people.
EPR initiatives by Xiaomi, LG, and Dell in India
In 2020, according to Global E-waste Monitor, the global production of e-waste was recorded to be 53.6 million tonnes. Contributing 3.2 million tonnes out of this, India ranked third in the list, below China and the United States of America. One can imagine the harm this huge amount of e-waste is causing to the environment as well as our health. All stakeholders need to take initiative to curb the menace of e-waste. Many e-waste management companies in India like Namo E-waste through their collection centers are taking back the discarded electronic items by consumers and bulk producers. Also, abiding by the EPR (extended producer responsibility) guidelines, producers of electronic items, big brands like LG, Xiaomi, and Dell, etc. have launched many take-back programs and are offering discounts to consumers under exchange offers of old electronic goods. LG, one of the leading companies in the consumer durable segment, has established a web of 40 e-waste recyclers to make the electronic take-back programs successful in India. Reportedly they recycled about 100 Kilo MT of electronics in the period 2017-2020. They even have customer support staff working in e-waste call centers to process the requests of consumers to collect discarded electronics. In another great EPR initiative by a manufacturer of hardware, Dell has claimed to be using plastic extracted from recycling discarded computers. The company offers e-waste management services to its consumers directly, with the help of an in-house team, in more than 75 nations. In India, Dell has 23 drop-off centers for formal e-waste disposal by consumers. Since 2006, Dell has been running their online take-back scheme in the country. As the online system of initiating requests is more convenient Dell will continue to run it. They have a future plan of reusing/recycling the same number of products as bought and used by their consumers. They expect to achieve this by 2030. Xiaomi, one of the leading players in the smartphone segment, has introduced a take-back and e-waste recycling program wherein they credit consumers’ Mi accounts with a discount coupon worth Rs 100 for every old electronic product the consumer shares for recycling. In association with their respective PRO (producer responsibility organization), Xiaomi has built 1150 collection counters at their service centers and Mi Homes in 500 big and small cities. Consumers are free to drop off their old mobile phones, dead batteries, and other discarded electronic accessories at these collection counters. Reportedly, Xiaomi has collected, in three years, over 400 tonnes of electronic waste. They aim at promoting their e-waste management programs for the end-of-life electronic products to the consumers, at the same time, creating as much awareness as possible so that many people join their e-waste management initiative and make it a success. Following the E-waste Management & Handling Rules formed in 2016, Xiaomi accepts all brands and kinds of mobile/smartphones, chargers, speakers, power banks, headphones, and various other electronic items sold in the country. The company recycles the collected e-waste. They also ask consumers to completely erase their data stored in the devices prior to handing them over for recycling. These initiatives are laudable and are in the best interest of the country and its people. However, due to a lack of awareness among people the programs do not always achieve their 100 percent goals.
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.
