India is now planning a shift to two standard chargers across mobile phone brands and portable-electronic devices which in turn will help in tackling the issue of e-waste.

• According to an ASSOCHAM-EY report on electronic waste management, India is estimated to have generatedfive million tonnes of e-waste in 2021, ranking only behind after China and the USA.
• This shift towards common chargers will not only simplify things for consumers but alsocut down on massive amounts of e-waste generated in the country. Many advanced economies are already moving toward standard charging devices.
• TheEuropean Union (EU) has ordered the USB-C port as standard for all devices by mid-2024, including Apple’s iPhone, which at present uses its own standard.
• Under the new rule, European Block consumers would no longer require different charging devices and cablesevery time they purchase a new mobile phone.
  • Also, European law would reportedly end the need for providing chargers with new phones and similar devices since users would already have the necessary accessories.

E-Waste

• E-Waste isshort for Electronic-Waste and the term is used to describe old, end-of-life or discarded electronic appliances. It includes their components, consumables, parts and spares.
• Laws to manage e-waste have been in place in India since 2011, mandating that only authorised dismantlers and recyclers collect e-waste.E-waste (Management) Rules, 2016 was enacted in 2017.
• India’s first e-waste clinicfor segregating, processing and disposal of waste from household and commercial units has been set-up in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh.
• Originally, the Basel Convention (1992)did not mention e-waste but later it addressed the issues of e-waste in 2006 (COP8).
  • TheNairobi Declaration was adopted at COP9 of the Basel Convention on the Control of the Trans-boundary Movement of Hazardous Waste. It aimed at creating innovative solutions for the environmentally sound management of electronic wastes.
• The hazardous and toxic substances found in e-waste include lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) in printed circuit boards (PCBs). Lead is primarily found in all electronic products/ assembly, cathode ray tubes (CRT) etc. Cadmium is found in monitor/ CRTs while there may be mercury in switches and flat screen monitors. Mercury is also found in CFL, relays and some other specific products. Besides the cadmium in computer batteries, cadmium is also used for plating metal enclosures/ metal parts in sub assemblies. Polychlorinated biphenyls are found in capacitors and transformers and as brominated flame retardant on printed circuit boards, plastic casings, cable and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) cable sheathing for insulation and PBD/PBDE in plastic parts of electronics. 

Impact of E-wastes

The consequences of improper e-waste disposal in landfills or other non-dumping sites pose serious threats to current public health and can pollute ecosystems for generations to come. When electronics are improperly disposed and end up in landfills, toxic chemicals are released, impacting the earth’s air, soil, water and ultimately, human health.

The Negative Effects on Air

Contamination in the air occurs when e-waste is informally disposed by dismantling, shredding or melting the materials, releasing dust particles or toxins, such as dioxins, into the environment that cause air pollution and damage respiratory health. E-waste of little value is often burned, but burning also serves a way to get valuable metal from electronics, like copper. Chronic diseases and cancers are at a higher risk to occur when burning e-waste because it also releases fine particles, which can travel thousands of miles, creating numerous negative health risks to humans and animals. Higher value materials, such as gold and silver, are often removed from highly integrated electronics by using acids, desoldering, and other chemicals, which also release fumes in areas where recycling is not regulated properly. The negative effects on air from informal e-waste recycling are most dangerous for those who handle this waste, but the pollution can extend thousands of miles away from recycling sites

The air pollution caused by e-waste impacts some animal species more than others, which may be endangering these species and the biodiversity of certain regions that are chronically polluted. Over time, air pollution can hurt water quality, soil and plant species, creating irreversible damage in ecosystems. For instance, an informal recycling hub in Guiyu, China that was formed by parties interesting in extracting valuable metals from e-waste, and subsequently has caused the region to have extremely high lead levels in the air, which are inhaled and then ingested when returned to water and soil. This can cause disproportionate neurological damage to larger animals, wildlife and humans in the area.

The Negative Effects on Soil

When improper disposal of e-waste in regular landfills or in places where it is dumped illegally, both heavy metals and flame retardants can seep directly from the e-waste into the soil, causing contamination of underlying groundwater or contamination of crops that may be planted near by or in the area in the future. When the soil is contaminated by heavy metals, the crops become vulnerable to absorbing these toxins, which can cause many illnesses and doesn’t allow the farmland to be as productive as possible.

When large particles are released from burning, shredding or dismantling e-waste, they quickly re-deposit to the ground and contaminate the soil as well, due to their size and weight. The amount of soil contaminated depends on a range of factors including temperature, soil type, pH levels and soil composition. These pollutants can remain in the soil for a long period of time and can be harmful to microorganisms in the soil and plants. Ultimately, animals and wildlife relying on nature for survival will end up consuming affected plants, causing internal health problems.

The Negative Effects on Water

After soil contamination, heavy metals from e-waste, such as mercury, lithium, lead and barium, then leak through the earth even further to reach groundwater. When these heavy metals reach groundwater, they eventually make their way into ponds, streams, rivers and lakes. Through these pathways, acidification and toxification are created in the water, which is unsafe for animals, plants and communities even if they are miles away from a recycling site. Clean drinking water becomes problematic to find.

Acidification can kill marine and freshwater organisms, disturb biodiversity and harm ecosystems. If acidification is present in water supplies, it can damage ecosystems to the point where recovery is questionable, if not impossible.

The Negative Effects on Humans

As mentioned, electronic waste contains toxic components that are dangerous to human health, such as mercury, lead, cadmium, polybrominated flame retardants, barium and lithium. The negative health effects of these toxins on humans include brain, heart, liver, kidney and skeletal system damage. It can also considerably affect the nervous and reproductive systems of the human body, leading to disease and birth defects. Improper disposal of e-waste is unbelievably dangerous to the global environment, which is why it is so important to spread awareness on this growing problem and the threatening aftermath. To avoid these toxic effects of e-waste, it is crucial to properly e-cycle, so that items can be recycled, refurbished, resold, or reused. The growing stream of e-waste will only worsen if not educated on the correct measures of disposal.

Challenges Related to the Management of E-Waste in India

• Less Involvement of People:
  • A key factor in used electronic devicesnot being given for recycling was because consumers themselves did not do so.
    • However, in recent years, countries around the world have been attempting to pass effective''right to repair'' laws.
  • Involvement of Child Labor:
    • In India, about 5 lakh child laborers in the age group of 10-14 are observed to be engaged in various E-waste activitiesand that too without adequate protection and safeguards in various yards and recycling workshops.
  • Ineffective Legislation:
    • There is absence of any public information on most State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs)/PCC websites.
  • Health Hazards:
    • E-waste contains over 1,000 toxic materials, which contaminate soil and groundwater.
  • Lack of Incentive Schemes:
    • No clear guidelines are there for the unorganized sector to handle E-waste.
    • Also, no incentives are mentioned to lure people engaged to adopt a formal path for handling E-waste.
  • E-waste Imports:
    • Cross-border flow of waste equipment into India- 80% of E-waste in developed countries meant for recycling is sent to developing countries such as India, China, Ghana and Nigeria.
  • The Reluctance of Authorities’ Involved:
    • Lack of coordination between various authorities responsible for E-waste management and disposal including the non-involvement of municipalities.
  • Security Implications:
    • End of life computers often contain sensitive personal information and bank account details which, if not deleted leave opportunity for fraud.

Provisions regarding E-waste in India

• India has a formal set of rules for electronic waste management, first announced these rules in 2016 and amended it in 2018.
  • Recently, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has released the draft notification for Electronic Waste Management
• The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change notified theE-Waste Management Rules, 2016 in supersession of the E-waste (Management & Handling) Rules, 2011.
• Over 21 products (Schedule-I) were included under the purview of the rule. It included Compact Fluorescent Lamp (CFL) and other mercury containing lamps, as well as other such equipment.
• For the first time, the rules brought theproducers under Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), along with targets. Producers have been made responsible for the collection of E-waste and for its exchange.
• Various producers can have a separate Producer Responsibility Organisation (PRO)and ensure collection of E-waste, as well as its disposal in an environmentally sound manner.
• Deposit Refund Schemehas been introduced as an additional economic instrument wherein the producer charges an additional amount as a deposit at the time of sale of the electrical and electronic equipment and returns it to the consumer along with interest when the end-of-life electrical and electronic equipment is returned.
• The role ofState Governments has been also introduced to ensure safety, health and skill development of the workers involved in dismantling and recycling operations.
• A provision ofpenalty for violation of rules has also been introduced.
• Urban Local Bodies(Municipal Committee/Council/Corporation) have been assigned the duty to collect and channelize the orphan products to authorized dismantlers or recyclers.
• Allocation of proper space to existing and upcoming industrial units for e-waste dismantling and recycling.

E-waste Recycling Practices in India

• Informal Sector:
  • 95% of the e-waste in India is being recycled in the non-formal sector and 5% of the e-waste volume is handled in the formal unit.
  • Non-formal units generally follow steps such as a collection of the e-waste from the rag pickers, disassembly of the products for their useable parts, components, modules, which are having resell value.
  • The rest of the material is chemically treated to recover precious metals.Due to inadequate means, it may cause leaching of hazardous substances to the air, soil, and water.
  • This recycling method has low efficiency andrecovery is carried out only for valuable metals like gold, silver, aluminum, copper, etc.
    • Other materials such as tantalum, cadmium, zinc, palladium etc. could not be recovered.
  • Formal Sector:
    • The recycling/ recovery of valuable substances by units in the formal sector is carried out in a protected environmentand with due care to minimise any damage to the environment or society.
    • The use of advanced processes and technologies leads to the efficient recovery of metals.
      • Recovery technology by units in formal sector will be economically viable as the high cost of capital equipments and needed techniques could be shared by the volume of products.
    • Efficiency of recovery in formal recycling is high and metals at the trace level can also be recovered. Some technology works with a zero-landfill approach.
    • Most of the e-waste in India is channelised to non-formal sector, whereas the formal sector isfacing the problem of not having sufficient input materials.

Preliminary Steps in the Disposal and Management of E-waste

• Purchase Fewer Items
  • The most common source of e-waste is the purchase of items that people do not require. Avoid buying new electronic devices that the maker can’t reuse or discard. Opting for recyclable or long-lasting electronic products is a sustainable step toward e-waste management.
• Donate or Give Away of E-waste
  • If the consumer doesn’t need something he/she can donate it so that it can be appreciated by someone else. Donations are excellent tax deductions since the amount is generally close to the worth of the asset if sold.
• Selling Unused Products
  • Selling electronics as soon as there is no need to keep them; newer models quickly depreciate in value. There is a plethora of companies that will gladly buy the old electronic equipment. They offer to provide ‘money in exchange for product’ services.
• Awareness about the Recycling Possibilities
  • There’s a need to be aware of rules and regulations regarding the e-waste management on which the government is working. As e-waste is not hazardous if it is stocked in safe storage or recycled by scientific methods or transported from one place to the other in parts or in totality in the formal sector.
    • The e-waste can, however, be considered hazardous if recycled by primitive methods.

Looking ahead

• Policies and Better Implementation: There are various startups and companies in India that have now started to collect and recycle electronic waste. We need better implementation methodologies and inclusion policies that provide accommodation and validation for the informal sector to step up and help us meet our recycling targets in an environmentally sound manner.
• Need of Inclusion:Also, successfully raising collection rates required every actor to be involved, including consumers.
• Encouraging Informal Sector:It is needed to come up with a strategy to engage with informal sector workers because doing so will not only go a long way in better e-waste management practices but also aid in environmental protection, improve the health and working conditions of labourers and provide better work opportunities to over a million people.
  • This will make management environmentally sustainable and easy to monitor.
• Increase in Employment: The need of the hour is to generate employment, which can be done through identifying and promoting cooperatives and expanding the scope of the E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2016 to these cooperatives or the informal sector workers.