Electrical and Electronic waste Management Issues in India

Transcription

1 Electrical and Electronic waste Management Issues in India Japneet Dhillon Research Scholar University Business School Guru Nanak Dev University Amritsar, India Dr. Vikram Sandhu Assistant Professor University Business School Guru Nanak Dev University Amritsar, India Abstract With the amount of Waste Electrical and Electronic (WEEE) being produced growing at an alarming rate, e- waste has become an important global issue. E-waste is regarded as one of the fastest growing waste stream globally. According to the UNEP report, over 50 million tons of e-waste is generated worldwide every year. In India, it is growing at a rate of 30% per annum. The developed nations flood their e-waste into developing countries like India due to relatively cheap labor and due to absence of stringent laws governing e-waste. The paper presents an overview of the issues associated with e-waste generation and its management. It also examines the environmental and health hazards that arise due to improper management of e-waste. Introduction The rapid growth in the production and consumption of electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) has led to an abrupt increase in the volume of waste that these products generate at the end of their life (Kiddee et al., 2013). Technological Innovations, low cost availability of electronic equipments and changing lifestyle of the people has hastened the obsolescence rate of electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) (The study titled what india knows about e-waste by Toxics Link). Waste from electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) appears with different names (e-waste or waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE)) and different definitions in the literature (Widmer et al., 2005). Reference European Directive 2002/96/EC OECD ( Basel Action Network (Puckett and Smith, 2002) Sinha-Khetriwal Step Initiative (StEP, 2014) Definition Waste electrical and electronic equipment, including all components, subassemblies and consumables which are part of the product at the time of discarding. The Directive 75/442/EEC, Article I (a), defines as waste any substance or object which the holder discards or is required to discard in compliance with the national legislative provisions. Any household appliance consuming electricity and reaching its life cycle end. E-waste encompasses a broad and growing range of electronic devicesranging from large household devices such as refrigerators, airconditioners, cell phones, personal stereos, and consumer electronicsto computers which have been discarded by their users. E-waste can be classified as any electrical powered appliance that has reached its end-of-life. E-Waste is a term used to cover items of all items of electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) and its parts that have been discarded by the owner as waste without the intent of re-use. 184

2 Table 1: Selected definitions of e-waste Indifferent of the various definitions, E-waste has become an immediate and long term concerndue to the volume of e-waste being generated and the presence of toxic elements in it. Improper handling of e-waste can lead to problems endangering human health and environment. E-waste consist of six categories listed in Table 2. Table 2: Six Categories of E-waste Temperature Exchange / cooling and freezing equipment Screen, Monitors Lamps Large Small Small IT and Telecommunication Refrigerators, Freezers, Air Conditioners, Heat pumps, Dehumidifying Televisions, Monitors, Laptops, Notebooks, Tablets, LCD Photo Frames Straight Fluorescent lamps, Compact Fluorescent lamps, High Intensity Discharge lamps, Low Pressure Sodium Lamps, LED lamps Washing Machines, Clothes Dryers, Dish Washing Machines, Electric Stoves, Large Printing Machines, Copying and Photovoltaic Panels. Vacuum Microwaves, Cleaners, Ventilation, Toasters, Electric Kettles, Electric Shavers, Scales, Calculators, Radio sets, Video Cameras, Electrical and Electronic Toys, Small Electrical and Electronic Tools, Small Medical Devices, Small Monitoring and Control Instruments). mobile phones, GPS, pocket calculators, routers, personal computers, telephones printers, Source: UNU-IAS, The Global E-waste Monitor. E-waste has two main attributes: It is hazardous and it is valuable. E-waste is hazardous due to the presence of toxic elements such as lead, nickel, manganese, arsenic, selenium, cadmium, mercury, PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) etc. that can have unfavourable impact on human health and the environment if not properly processed before disposal. E-waste is valuable due to the presence of expensive metals such as gold, silver, platinum, copper, palladium and scarce materials such as indium and gallium. The recovery of these valuable substances from e-waste represent a significant economic opportunity (Toxics Link). Table 3:Concentration of heavy economical metals in electronics No Electronic Copper Silver(ppm) Gold(ppm) Palladium(ppm) 1 Television (TV) 10% Computer 20% Mobile Phone 13% Portable Audio Scrap 21% DVD Player 5% (Source:Department of information technology & Umicore Precious Metals Refining. Geneva) Developed and technologically advanced countries generate most of the e-waste. Rather than dealing with e- waste in an ecological way, they dispose their mounting collection of e-waste to the developing countries. Scientific recovery and extraction of valuable as well as toxic substances from e-waste is vital for efficient recovery of the resources and to prevent environmental and health hazards during processing of waste. The objective of this paper is to provide an overview of the issues associated with e-waste generation and its management. It also studies the environmental and health hazards arising from improper management of e- waste. The paper aims to summarise the information available and to create a common framework of knowledge in the field of e- waste. Global Scenario It has been found that electronic equipment s, especially mobiles, computers, are often discarded not because they are broken but simply because they become obsolete and undesirable with the advent of new technology. 185

3 According to data collected from a single-day recycling event, more than 50 per cent of discarded computers were in good working condition (Rajya Sabha Report E-waste in India ). Figure 4. Life Cycle of Electrical and Electronic Source: UNEP. 2007b. E-waste: Management Manual. Volume II. Figure4 shows lifecycle of e-waste. The major stakeholders in the e-waste supply chain are: manufacturers, retailers, consumers, traders, scrapdealers, disassemblers, dismantlers, smelters and recyclers. Prevention Most favoured option Preparing for re-use Recycling Other recovery Moving up the waste Hierarchy Least favoured option Source: As per 2014 estimates, the total e-waste generated in the world was around 41.8 Mt and is likely to increase upto 33% by The top producer of e-waste was United States which generated 7.1 million tonnes (Mt), followed by China which generated approximately 6.0 Mt (Baldé et al. 2015). It is estimated that only 6.5 Mt e-waste was collected by national take-back systems in U.S. is on top of the world s e-waste mountain and generated 7.07 million tons of e-waste followed by china with 6.03 million tons and Japan 2.2 million tons e-waste. Year Disposal E-waste generated (Mt) Table 5: Global Quantity of E-waste Generated Lamp 1.0 Small IT 3.0 Screens 6.3 Temperature Exchange E-waste generated (Mt) 7.0 Large 11.8 Small 12.8 Total Table 6: Total E-waste per category in 2014

4 Source: UNU-IAS, The Global E-waste Monitor. Roughly 80 percent of e-waste generated is exported to developing nations.official data for the transboundary movement of e-waste from developed nations to developing countries are unknown [Global E-Waste Monitor 2014]. E-waste: The Problem E-waste is the fastest growing component of municipal waste. Issues related to E-waste areno longer confined within the geographical boundary of the country in which it is generated.e-waste generated in developed countries is exported into developing countries in the name of free trade (Toxics Link, 2004). The influx of second hand electronics from developed countries is makingthe problems associated with e-waste management more complicated. India is a party to Basel Conventionto control transboundary movement of WEEE but there is a contradiction in its implementation.as e-waste is a cocktail of several toxic and hazardous ingredients, its improper processing, recycling and disposal cause severe health hazards, environmental pollution and social problems to the people involved in e-waste related activities, the local communities and the society as a whole. Status of E-waste in India In India, the accumulation of obsolete, discarded electronics is growing over time. There is no official or definite data depicting how much waste is generated in India or how much is disposed of. Data estimations are based on independent studies conducted by the government agencies. According to an ASSOCHAM-cKinetics study (2016), India is the fifth largest producer of e-waste in the world. It generates around 18 lakh metric tonnes (MT) e-waste per annum and is likely to generate 52 lakh metric tonnes (MT) per annum by E-waste in the country is growing at a compound annual growth rate of about 30% which is a major cause for concern. Figure7: E-waste generation in India: Past and forecasts for the future Source: According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Pune, Surat and Nagpur are the top ten cities generating e-waste. Mumbai alone produces 19,000 tons of WEEE annually and is the leading e-waste producer in the country followed by Delhi and Bangalore. In India, there are 36,165 hazardous waste generating industries which generates 6.2 million 187

5 tonnes of hazardous waste every year. Out of 6.2 million tonnes, landfillable waste is 2.7 million tonnes, incinerable 0.41 million tonnes and recyclable hazardous waste is 3.08 million tonnes.ten states accounts for 70% of the total E-waste generated in the country andsixty-five cities produces more than 60% of the total e-waste. Top ten states in India generating e-waste are Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu,Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Delhi, Karnataka, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Punjab. Maharashtra generates 20,270 tons of e-waste per year.70% of the total e-waste collected at recycling units was actually dumped by the developed nations. (Toxic Link,2004).According to a Delhi based study, about workers are employed at scrap yards in Delhi. Table 8: WEE Generating top ten cities State Ahmadabad Bangalore Chennai Delhi Hyderabad Kolkata WEE (Tonnes) Mumbai Nagpur Pune Surat Source: MAIT, GTZ, 2007 Developed countries export their e-wastes to developing countries like India with no regard for environmental or worker health and safety. The major reasons are cheap labour (US - $ 30/ computer, India - $ 2/ computer, Saving - $ 28/ computer), weak environmental laws and lack of occupational standards in the country( Shagun,2013). From the total e-waste produced in the country, 60% e-waste lie in warehouses or storages and only 40% is made available for recycling 95 % of e-waste is treated by informal recyclers and only 5% by formal recyclers in the country [MAIT].75% of electronic junk lie unattended in houses, offices, warehouses etc. The major modes of final disposal of e-waste are Recycle, Reuse, store, incinerationand landfill. Also, there is absence of official data available data to determine the volume or percentage of E-waste that enters into the particular mode of disposal. Landfilling is the most popular means of final disposal for E-waste in the country. The lack of public awareness regarding the disposal of obsolete electrical and electronic equipment s and inadequate policies to handle the issues related to e-waste worsen the problem in India (Anwesha, 2012). Health and Environment Concern of E-waste E-waste is a cocktail of toxins like mercury, lead, cadmium, arsenic, beryllium and brominated flame retardants that are hazardous to human health and the environment if not recycled using state-of-the-art technology. Mercury is used in cell phone s battery, fluorescent lamps, LCD monitors, switches, flat panel screens. Exposure to mercury can cause Impairment of neurological development in foetuses and small children, tremors, emotional changes, cognition, motor function, insomnia, headaches, changes in nervous response, kidney effects, respiratory failures, death. Lead is present in cell phone components including the circuit boards, batteries, CRT of TV, computer monitor and as a stabilizer in PVC products. Lead exposure can cause probable human carcinogen, damage to brain and nervous systems, slow growth in children, hearing problems, blindness, diarrhea, cognition, behavioural changes (e.g. delinquent), physical disorder. Arsenic is found in the microchips of many electronic devices including mobile phones. Low levels of arsenic exposure is associated with negative impacts on skin, liver, nervous and respiratory systems and in high doses, it is 188

6 deadly.cadmium is used in light sensitive resistors, battery of a cell phone. It can cause deficits in cognition, learning, behaviour and neuromotor skills in children, kidney damage.chlorine, a component of plastics used in cell phones, is linked with tissue damage and the destruction of cell structure. BFR (brominated flame retardants) is found in Plastic casings, circuit boards and may increase cancer risk to digestive and lymph systems, endocrine disorder. In a study from China, human scalp hair samples were taken to find out heavy metal exposure to workers employed in e-waste recycling sites. Higher concentrations of Lead, Copper, Mn, and Ba metals were found in hair of exposed as compared to the control group. In developing countries, open-sky incineration is carried out to recover copper from cables. Land fillingof e- wastes results in leaching of lead into thegroundwater. The CRT is crushed and burned and emits toxic fumes into the air. Toxic substances in e-waste contaminate theenvironment when burnt in incinerators or disposedof in landfills.in Informal sector,e-waste is dismantled and sorted manually. The workers involved in informal sector are not aware of the risk of handling this e-waste. No machinery or protective equipment is used by them for removing different materials. They perform work with bare hands and no facemasks. Children and women are involved in the informal recycling operations at negligible wages.about 2/3 rd of e-waste workers in India are suffering from respiratory ailments like breathing difficulties, irritation, coughing, choking, tremors due to improper safeguards and dismantling workshops. (The Assocham-cKinetics study) Health risks associated with e-waste may result from direct contact with hazardoous materials such as mercury, lead, cadmium, chromium, brominated flame retardants or polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), or from inhalation of toxic fumes, as well as from accumulation of chemicals in soil, water and food. Recycling activities such as dismantling of equipment bear an increased risk of injury to the workers. E-waste Rules, Regulations and Policies E-waste first emerged as an environmental issue in Majority of the waste in India is treated by the unorganized sector. The organized recyclers are facing the problem of inadequate input materials for recycling. No e-waste laws exist in the country till 2000.The regulations established under the provisions of the EPA the Hazardous Waste (Management and Handling) Rules and the Batteries (Management and Handling) Rules are applicable to this waste stream to some extent. In 2008, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) released guidelines on e-waste management. The Ministry of Environment and Forest as part of the Environmental Protection Act of India has enacted the E-waste (Management and Handling) Rule of 2011which mandate manufacturers of electronics goods take back at least 15% of their products as e- waste.the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has notified the E-Waste Management Rules, 2016 which will bring the producers under Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) along with targets.a provision of levying financial penalty for violation of rules has also been introduced. As 29/12/2016, there are a total of 178 registered e-waste recyclers/dismantlers with CPCB in the country that have recycling/dismantling capacity of metric ton per annum (MTA) for environmentally sound management of e-waste.laxity in e-waste regulations and poor vigilance are primarycause for failure of the rules. Management of E-waste is critical in India due to its exponential growth and the primitive recycling practices prevailing in the unorganized sector. Conclusion There exist many challenges to the management of e-waste in the country. The major hurdle is the dominance of informal sector. Steps should be taken to formalize the informal sector by strict implementation of legislative provisions and impose heavy penalties on defaulters.there is a need for increasing the level of awareness using advertisements to encourage consumers to return electronic devices for collection and reuse/recycling. Steps should be taken to reduce E-waste through reuse, recycle, and recovery and reduced use of toxic substances.there is need of an effective take-back program which provides incentives to the producers for designing products that contain fewer toxic components and are easier to disassemble, reuse, and recycle. It will help in reducing the wastes.managing e-waste is not just a particular individual s 189

7 responsibility or the government responsibility rather it is a community work. All of us have a role to play in managing e-waste for a cleaner India. References 1. A study on 'Electronic Waste Management in India,' conducted by The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM )--ckinetics available at 2. Borthakur A. (2012). Generation, management and policy implications of electronic waste in India. M.Phil. dissertation, Central University of Gujarat, Gandhinagar 3. Carisma, B. (2009). Drivers of and barriers to E-waste management in the Philippines. Lund University, Lund. 4. CPCB (Central pollution Control Board), The Hazardous Materials (Management, Handling and Transboundary Movements) Rules, Directive 2002/96/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 January 2003 on Waste Electrical and Electronic (WEEE) & Report on E-waste Inventorisation in India, MAIT- GTZ Study, 2007) Kiddee P, Naidu R and Wong MH (2013) Electronic waste management approaches: An overview. Waste Management 33: Puckett J and Smith T (2002) Exporting harm: The high-tech trashing of Asia. The Basel Action Network, Seattle7 Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition. 15. Report on E-waste Inventorisation in India, MAIT-GTZ Study, Secretariat RS (2011) E-waste in India. India Research Unit (Larrdis), Rajya Sabha Secretariat, New Delhi 17. Shagun, Ashwani Kush, and Anupam Arora (2013). Proposed Solution of e-waste Management. International Journal of Future Computer and Communication, Vol. 2, No StEP Initiative (2014) Available at: Initiative_WhatIsEwaste.html 19. The Global E-Waste Monitor report available at Monitor-2014-small.pdf 20. Widmer R, Oswald-Krapf H, Sinha-Khetriwal D, et al. (2005) Global perspectiveson e-waste. Environmental Impact Assessment Review 25: