How is e waste recycled in india

In addition, there is lack of infrastructure and absence of appropriate legislations specifically dealing with e-waste. Also, there is inadequate description of the roles and responsibilities of stakeholders and institutions involved in e-waste management, etc.

International treaties such as Basel Convention aim at reducing and regulating the movement of hazardous waste between nations. Even with the Convention, illegal shipment and dumping of e-wastes continue to take place. It is estimated that 50 million tonnes of e-waste was generated globally in Half of this is personal devices such as computers, screens, smartphones, tablets, and TVs, with the remainder being larger household appliances and heating and cooling equipment.

In the US alone, more than million computers are thrown away with less than 20 per cent being recycled properly. China discards million electronic devices a year. In the past, China has been regarded as the largest e-waste dumping site in the world. Hundreds of thousands of people have expertise in dismantling electronic junk. The rate at which the e-waste volume is increasing globally is 5 per cent to 10 per cent yearly.

In India, the volume of e-waste generated was , tonnes per year Borthakur and Sinha, However, these data only include e-waste generated nationally and do not include waste imports both legal and illegal which are substantial in emerging economies such as India and China.

The reason is that large amount of waste electrical and electronic equipment WEEE enters India from foreign countries. These collection- and weight-based recycling targets seek to reduce the amount of hazardous substances disposed into landfills and to increase the availability of recyclable materials that indirectly encourages less virgin materials consumption in new products.

One-third of electrical and electronic waste in the EU is reported as separately collected and appropriately treated. The introduction of the EPR scheme in was the most important step in South Korea, and about 70 per cent of e-waste was collected by producers.

Over the same period, the amount of e-waste reused and recycled was 12 per cent and 69 per cent, respectively. The remainder was sent to landfill sites or incineration plants, accounting for 19 per cent.

The lax or zero enforcement of existing regulatory framework or low level of awareness and sensitization, and inadequate occupational safety for those involved in these processes exacerbate e-waste management in developing countries compared to the EU and Japan, which have well-developed initiatives at all levels aimed at changing consumer behaviour. Therefore, there is need for developing countries to adopt effective strategies to encourage re-use, refurbishing or recycling e-waste in specialized facilities to prevent environmental contamination and human health risks.

China, Peru, Ghana, Nigeria, India, and Pakistan are the biggest recipients of e-waste from industrialized countries Mmereki, et al. It safeguards the planet from toxic waste trade. A recent initiative has been e-Stewards, a system for auditing and certifying recyclers and takeback programmes so that conscientious consumers know which ones meet high standards.

India ranks amongst countries and is amongst the bottom five countries on the Environmental Performance Index , as per a report released at the World Economic Forum This was linked to poor performance in the environment health policy and deaths due to air pollution categories. Also, India is ranked fifth in the world amongst top e-waste producing countries after the USA, China, Japan, and Germany and recycles less than 2 per cent of the total e-waste it produces annually formally.

Since , India generates more than two million tonnes of e-waste annually, and also imports huge amounts of e-waste from other countries around the world. Dumping in open dumpsites is a common sight which gives rise to issues such as groundwater contamination, poor health, and more.

E-waste collection, transportation, processing, and recycling is dominated by the informal sector. The sector is well networked and unregulated. Often, all the materials and value that could be potentially recovered is not recovered. Seelampur in Delhi is the largest e-waste dismantling centre of India. Adults as well as children spend 8—10 hours daily extracting reusable components and precious metals like copper, gold and various functional parts from the devices. E-waste recyclers use processes such as open incineration and acid-leeching.

This situation could be improved by creating awareness and improving the infrastructure of recycling units along with the prevalent policies.

The majority of the e-waste collected in India is managed by an unorganized sector. Almost all e-wastes contain some form of recyclable material, including plastic, glass, and metals; however, due to improper disposal methods and techniques these materials cannot be retrieved for other purposes.

If e-waste is dismantled and processed in a crude manner, its toxic constituents can wreak havoc on the human body. Processes such as dismantling components, wet chemical processing, and incineration are used to dispose the waste and result in direct exposure and inhalation of harmful chemicals. The main benefit of this program is cleaner, safer and greener environment. Currently the initiative covers pick up of e-waste related to only Hard Drives, Electric and Electronic Equipment.

Consumers do not have to pay for safe disposal of their appliances through SafeNet India Private Limited Authorized recyclers. Yes it is possible and it will take about 5- 10 days to get the products picked by our authorized recyclers from the time of the first call made to call center.

Toll Free No: Email: info greenivarecycler. SafeNet India Private Limited aim to reduce our environmental impacts and perform in a way that meets our customers' expectations.

We are committed to creating the most effective recycling services for our customers, while protecting the environment and improving communities around the world. We have been safely disposing of our products that constitute electronic waste for years utilizing registered recyclers. Under our Company policy as well the legislation passed by the Ministry of Environment and Forests MoEF , called E-waste Management Rules, , which came into effect on October 1st, , SafeNet India Private Limited seek shared responsibility and cooperation from customers in reducing the environmental impact of their products.

We have partner with Greeniva Recycler Pvt. India Private Limited E-waste Program. Saves Natural Resources: Reduces Environmental Pollution: Alternate Resource: Negative consequences of disposal of product in an unscientific manner E-waste-connected health risks may result from direct contact with harmful materials such as lead, cadmium, chromium, brominated flame retardants or polychlorinated biphenyls PCBs , from inhalation of toxic fumes, as well as from accumulation of chemicals in soil, water and food.

Brief about E-waste Management rules The E-waste Management Rules, have been notified with primary objective to channelize the E-waste generated in the country for environmentally sound recycling which is largely controlled by the un-organized sector who are adopting crude practices that results into higher pollution and less recovery, thereby causing wastages of precious resources and damage to environment.

How to drop off products at our collection point? Here are the steps you need to follow when dropping off your electronics item at our Collection Point: Pack the electronics item in light packaging, so that the device is secured inside safely. Identify the Collection Point in your state through customer care. Take the packaged product to the Collection point.

At the Collection Point, you will be provided with a form. Please fill in the necessary details. Now submit the product package along with the filled up form at the Collection Point. Ensure that only Greeniva Recycler repair and handle your electronic products. Always call Local Greeniva Recycler to dispose products that have reached end-of life. Once these gadgets are dismantled and aggregated, they are sold to extractors and plastic recyclers in Goripalya, Nayandahalli, Peenya and Dabuspet, who use chemicals and machinery to extract value from the waste.

Rajesh Babu G M, the co-founder of Swachcha, an NGO that deals with Dry Waste Management in Bengaluru, explains that the recovery process of the metals is perhaps the most hazardous to both the workers and the environment since it is done in an unscientific way without much safety measures.

If they are burnt in open air, the workers are exposing themselves to hazardous, carcinogenic chemicals and materials. When the quantities are huge, such extractors feel compelled to burn components to recover metals since the labour costs are high. Handling e-waste with blunt tools is no less hazardous, according to a study submitted to the Rajya Sabha secretariat in Handling Cathode Ray Tubes, present in old monitors, releases lead fumes, as does removing the soldering from microchips.

Chromium, brominated flame retardants, mercury and acid all present challenges when they are handled unscientifically by informal waste recyclers. Located in thickly populated areas, these practices are not only hazardous to them but also to residents in and around the areas where these metals are extracted. Perhaps, the dry-cell, a staple piece of technology is the most easily available example of the fallout that is possible because of this kind of cherrypicking. From powering clocks to toys, the battery is essential for the functioning of so many gadgets in our homes.

After use, most of these — about 2. Made from heavy metals like cadmium, nickel, lead mercury, manganese or lithium, grouped with other waste and left in landfills, dead batteries pollute the air, water and soil with hazardous chemicals. Given the volume of discarded batteries annually from our households, if efficiently extracted, 15, tonnes of zinc could be salvaged, reducing the burden on primary mining.

A majority of these organisations recycle waste that is supplied directly by bulk waste producers like IT companies, government organisations and colleges explains Rajesh Babu, who oversees the operation of 28 dry waste management centres, across Bengaluru.

What about the e-waste of these individuals. From a business perspective, given that they provide a minimal amount of e-waste, a recycler won't engage with them.

As the bulk of e-waste is processed by the informal sector, trying to curb the operations of these backyard recyclers would end what little processing does take place, besides taking away the livelihoods of thousands of people. Saahil Pasha wants his organisation authorised, but cannot afford to comply with the E-Waste Management Rules , which call for a minimum area of sqm and capacity to process upto one tonne of waste per day.

Senior officials in the KSPCB indicated that they are hesitant to take action given that there is a lack of data on the e-waste sector in the state and the capacity of the formal sector is limited. That is worrisome.