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.
