E-Waste Management Plan

in Delhi

BY

J.K. DADOO
SECRETARY
DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT & FORESTS
GOVT. OF DELHI, INDIA
 Electronic Waste

Waste generated due to product obsolescence
and discarded electronic items, which may be
data processing, telecommunications or
entertainment in private households and
businesses.

Such electronic items may be televisions,

telephones, radios, microwave ovens,
computers, printers, fax machines, mobile
phones, DVDs, CDs or computer floppies.
 Main issues
• E-waste is partly very valuable
– Recover (precious) metals
– Recover huge amounts of plastic
• E-waste is partly very hazardous
– Contains 1,000 different toxic substances
• E-waste is increasing at alarming rates
– Rates of obsolescence are becoming very high
– Computers are one of the highly purchased electronic
items and have a useful life of 3-5 years only, thus
contributing huge amounts to annual e-waste volumes.
Further it has been estimated that the obsolescence rate
of computers may be reduced to 2 years only very soon.
 E-waste Scenario in India
• The electronics industry has emerged as the fastest
growing segment of Indian industry both in terms
of production and exports.

• Recent policy changes have led to tremendous

influx of leading multinational companies into
India, to set up manufacturing facilities and R&D
centres.

• This has resulted in huge amounts of both electronic

product consumption and e-waste generation.

• Added to this is import of junk electronics from

abroad, in excessive volumes.
Key Players in the E-Waste
Trade Cycle

Consumers

Domestic

Offices / Business firms

Scrap Dealers/ Vendors

Extractors/ Recyclers
 E-Waste Trade Cycle

Collection

Segregation based on economy/utility

Extraction/Recycling

By open burning

Acid bath

Disposal
 E-waste Recycling Status in
Delhi

Toxic Link study indicates e-waste
generation in Delhi is approx. 9730 tonnes
per year

The total turnover of the e-waste chain

considering 12 processes is around Rs. 22.0
Crore.
 Environmental Concerns

Present extraction/ recycling of E-waste is
being done in an unscientific way, though it
adds to economic activity

Air pollution control devices and water
pollution control device are not installed.

Lack of safety equipments for the workers.

Final disposal of unused/left out electronic
items

Open burning/ incineration

Indiscriminate dumping in landfills
 Status of E-waste Management
in India

Karnataka Pollution Control Board has considered
e-waste under category 31.1 of schedule 1 of
Hazardous waste (Management & Handling )
Rules, 1989.

Category 31.1 of Schedule 1 of HWM Rules, 1989 states
the processes of electronic industries.

KPCB is issuing authorization to software

companies and other electronic industry to store
the e-waste, and handover the same to authorized
recyclers.
 Issues required to be taken up

Identification of Best Suited Technology for
Extraction/ Recycling of E-waste.

Rehabilitation of existing Extractors/ Recyclers

with state of the art recycling process
technology.

Identification of a Private Developer for final

disposal of unused electronic items through a
professionally managed e-waste facility.
 Delhi Pollution Control Committee’s
Plan of Action for E-waste Management

On similar line of Karnataka Pollution Control
Board, DPCC is examining the issue of
authorization to software companies and other
electronic industries to store e-waste and
handover the same to authorized recyclers.

DPCC will organize a private developer for

recycling of e-waste by authorizing him to
collect e-waste from such agencies and
institutions.
 Public Awareness Campaign
(for consumers)

Enlighten consumers to dispose electronic

waste only to the authorized private
developers.

Purchasing new computers that are designed

with requisite environmental attributes.
 Public Awareness Campaign
(for manufacturers and suppliers)

Manufacturers & Suppliers to set goals for
reducing electronic waste.

Encourage them to buy back old electronic

products from consumers

Disposing bulk e-waste only through authorized

recyclers

Send non-tradable e-waste to authorized private

developers for final disposal.