In effect from 1st May, 2012

- Roshni Thammaiah

What is e-waste?
e-waste A concern?
Indian Scenario
The Rules

Also referred to as Electrical waste, e-scrap,

WEEE
The 2011 Rules defines e-waste as waste
electrical and electrical equipment, whole or in
part or rejects from their manufacturing or
repair process, which are intended to be
discarded.
Technological development is the main cause
for e-waste generation
The total e-waste discarded around the world
is about 50 million tons/year

E-waste contains hazardous materials like

Lead, Cadmium, Mercury, Arsenic, Beryllium
Difficult to recycle not properly segregated.
Most e-wastes go to landfills threat to human
health and environment.
Most recyclers dont recycle. They export to
developing countries.

In India, e- waste management assumes greater significance

not only due to our own generation of waste but also the
dumping of e-waste (esp. computer waste) from the developed
countries.
According to the Indo European e-Waste Initiative for
Improved Technology and Skills for Indian e-Waste
Management group, about 330,000 metric tonnes of e-waste is
produced in India annually only 19k MT recycled.
A Delhi based NGO, Toxics Link, found that India annually
generates $ 1.5 billion worth of e-waste.
It is estimated that a total of 2 million obsolete computers
originate from government offices, business houses, industries
and house holds.
Manufacturers and assemblers in a single year, estimated to
produce around 1200 tons of e-scrap.

State wise e-waste

generation in India
(Tonnes/year)

AP
12%
UP
10%

City Wise e-waste

generation in India
(Tonnes/year)

Bangalo
re
10%

Tamil
Nadu
13%
Mahara
stra
20%

WB
10%
Delhi
9%
Karnata
ka
9%

Delhi
21%

Mumba
i
24%

Nagpur
4%

MP
8%
Gujarat
9%

Pune
6%
Chenna
i
9%

Ahmed Hydera
Kolkata abad
bad
9%
7%
6%

Surat
4%

Enacted by the Ministry of Environment and Forest as

part of the Environment Protection Act of India.
6 chapters, 3 schedules and 5 forms
Attempts to establish an environmentally sound
management and disposal of electronic waste in
the country.
The rules apply to every producer, consumer and bulk
consumer involved in manufacture, sale, purchase and
processing of electronic equipment or components
Puts the onus of reducing and re-cycling of e-wastes on
the producers (EPR)
A breathing period of one year has been given to the
producers of electrical and electronic equipment to set
up their collection centres or take back centres.

The rules will not apply to lead acid batteries as it is covered under the
batteries (management and handling) Rules, 2001, Micro and small
enterprises as defined in the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises
Development Act, 2006 and radio-active wastes as covered under the
provisions of the Atomic Energy Act, 1962.
Under the new rules, producers will have to make consumers aware about
the hazardous components present in the product. Also, instructions for
consumers for handling the equipment after its use along with the dos and
donts. They will also have to give information booklets to prevent ewaste from being dropped in garbage bins
The State Pollution Control Board will be required to prepare and submit
to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) an annual report (based on
the data received by consumers) with regard to implementation of these
rules, by September 30 of every year.
On receiving which, the CPCB will have to prepare a consolidated annual
review on management of e-waste and forward it to the government along
with its recommendations by December 30 of every year.

Chapters, schedules and

forms

Titles

Issues Addressed

CHAPTER I
Preliminary

1. Short title and commencement Chapter discusses the title

2. Application
and commencement of the
3. Definitions
laws, applicable
stakeholders and related
definitions of the
terminology

CHAPTER II
Responsibilities

4. Responsibilities of the
producer
5. Responsibilities of collection
centers
6. Responsibilities of consumer
or bulk consumer
7. Responsibilities of dismantler
8. Responsibilities of recycler

Responsibilities and the dos

and donts of the
stakeholders are discussed
in this chapter

CHAPTER III
Procedure for seeking
authorization for
handling e-wastes

9. Procedure for grant of

authorization
10.Power to suspend or cancel
an authorization
11. Procedure for grant of
registration

Chapter discusses the procedure

and formalities for potential ewastes handlers to obtain
authorization. Procedure for grant
of registration at State Pollution
Control Board (SPCB) is also
discussed.

CHAPTER IV
Procedure for storage of
e-waste

12.Procedure for storage of ewaste

Maximum permissible storage

period of e-waste with any
consumer is 180 days. SPCB may
extend the period, if no authorised
recyclers are found in that state.

CHAPTER V
Reduction in the use of
hazardous substances in
the manufacture of
electrical and electronic
equipment

13. Reduction in the use of

hazardous materials (HS) in the
manufacture of electrical and
electronic equipment

Chapter advises the manufactures

to reduce the HS in the electrical &
electronic products. Maximum
permissible limit of lead, mercury,
cadmium, and hexavalent
chromium and polybrominated
biphenyls and polybrominated
diphenyl ethers is discussed.

CHAPTER VI
Miscellaneous*

SCHEDULE-I
Categories of e-waste
covered under the
rules

14.Duties of Authorities
15.Annual Report
16.Transportation of e-waste
17.Accident reporting and follow-up
18. Collection, storage, transportation,
segregation, refurbishment,
dismantling recycling and disposal of
e-waste shall be in accordance with the
procedures
Electrical and electronic equipment is
categorised as:

Consumer electrical and electronics

products are categorised as:

SCHEDULE-II
Applicable to categories of electrical
Application which are and electronic equipment as listed at
excepted from the
Schedule-I
requirement of Subrule(1) of Rule 13

Miscellaneous chapter discusses the duties of

the authority, & norms of collection, storage,
transportation, refurbishment, dismantling
recycling and disposal of e-waste, duties of the
authorities, etc. and reporting of e-waste

Centralized Data Processing, Mainframes,

Minicomputers, Personal Computers, Laptop,
Notebook, Notepad, Printers Including
Cartridges, Copying Equipment, Electrical And
Electronic Typewriters, User Terminals And
Systems, Facsimile, Telex, Telephones, Pay
Telephones, Cordless-Phones, Cellphones, &
Answering Systems.
Television sets, Liquid crystal display, Light
emitting diode display, Refrigerator, Washing
machine, and Air-conditioners.
List of exempted applications of lead, mercury,
cadmium in various processes with their
admissible limit

SCHEDULE III Central Pollution Control

List authorities Board (CPCB), Delhi
and
corresponding
duties

Duties and authorities include preparation

of guidelines of environmental sound ewaste management, set target for RoHS
compliance, enforcement of non-compliant
etc.

State Pollution Control

Duties and authorities include
Board (SPCB)/ Committee Inventorisation of e-waste,
of Union Territories
registration, grant and authorisation
of recyclers, channelization e-waste to
authorised recyclers etc.

FORM - 1

Application for obtaining authorization for generation/

collection/storage/dismantling/recycling e-waste

FORM - 1(a)

Form for granting authorization for generation/collection/ storage/

dismantling/ recycling of e-waste

FORM - 2

Form for maintaining records of e-waste handled/ Generated

FORM - 3

Form for filing Annual Returns

FORM - 4

Application form for registration of facilities possessing environmentally

sound management practice for recycling e-waste

FORM - 5

Form for annual report to be submitted by the State pollution control

board/committees to the Central Pollution Control Board

Research shows that Indian consumers find it

convenient to buy a new computer than
upgrade the old one due to changing
configuration, technology etc.
As per a study done in 2009 by a Bangalore
based NGO, Saahas showed that, Bangalore
generates 8000 tons of e-waste every year
IT companies are the largest contributors of ewaste because 30 % of their equipment is
rendered obsolete every year.

One desktop and one 17 monitor equates to the

use of
22kg of chemicals
1500kg of water
240kg of fossil fuels

5% refined today is used in the manufacture of

plastics
4 7kg of plastic is used in the manufacture of a
new PC, which in most cases is discarded in a year
or two.
Average Life span of mobiles has reduced from 6
years to 1.