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insightsonindia.com/2016/09/05/insights-editorial-indias-e-waste-problem/
INSIGHTS
9/6/2016
The Union environment ministry in March 2016 had notified the E-Waste Management Rules 2016 replacing the
2011 version. With this, the Indian government has taken a key step to combat this most lethal form of pollution.
The earlier rules issued five years ago were quite inadequate.
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Norway model:
India has a lot to learn from Norway in this matter.
Norway has e-waste take back system in place for more than a decade now, whereas, India notified these
rules very recently.
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When the e-waste rules were introduced in Norway, the country faced similar questions. The authorities
were finding it extremely difficult to enforce and follow up so many entities producing and importing
electronics in the country. The deliberations conceptualised the idea of EPR which culminated in e-waste
regulation.
Like the rules in India, management of e-waste in Norway is also a producer responsibility and producers
are defined as Norwegian manufacturers and importers of EEE. The producers/importers of e-waste in
Norway are obliged to be members of a take-back company and have to pay a fee for their membership to
the take-back companies. This is how it provides the funding for collection and treatment of the waste.
The take back companies in Norway need to get an approval from the Norwegian Environment Agency.
The approval process includes a verification of nearly about 50 criterions besides third party having to
certify them. The process includes providing a plan detailing how they will collect e-waste and treat it in an
environmentally sound way.
They also need to ensure that they will collect all e-waste from their market share which is determined by
how much of electronics is put into the market by their members.
The take back companies report back to Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) register,
which is managed by the government, and also finance WEEE register. In contrast, India does not have
any data on the electronics being manufactured and imported in the country. There is no national registry
taking account of the producers operating in the country and the amount of EEE introduced by them in the
market.
Huge amount of recycling and recovery of e-waste in Norway has only been possible due to the presence
of efficient take back system and the collective interest of the producers to comply with the legislations. In
a stark contrast, the formal collection mechanisms in India are able to capture only five per cent of the end
of life EEE and a huge chunk lands in the informal sector putting a question mark on the recycling and
recovery of e-waste.
Conclusion:
A strong political will is required to come out with strict regulations to manage e waste in India. Increased public
awareness is the need of hour. It is now to be seen how the stakeholders who turned a blind eye to the rules so
far, proceed ahead.
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