Environment ministry to come up with new E-waste policy with more responsibility on producers soon – EQ Mag Pro

The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) will be coming up with a hard set reframed policy on electronic waste with more onus on producers.

New Delhi: The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) will be coming up with a hard set reframed policy on electronic waste with more onus on producers .

“E-waste (Management) Rules, 2016, enacted since October 1, 2017 have been further strengthened in the new coming policy which will bring change in perception of e-waste recycling market in the country making Electrical and electronic waste with its rich content of valuable metals as a major harvest point “ said Mr Ved Prakash Mishra, Director, The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) while speaking at an interaction on e-waste management organized by Pegasus Waste Management Pvt Ltd, an integrated e waste recycling company late last evening .

“The present E-waste management Rules 2016 had strengthened the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), which ensured the take-back of the end-of-life products. A new arrangement entitled, ‘Producer Responsibility Organization’ (PRO) was also introduced to strengthen EPR further. PRO, a professional organization, was mostly authorized or financed collectively or individually by producers, to share the responsibility for collection and channelization of e-waste generated from the ‘end-of-life’ products to ensure environmentally sound management of such e-waste.” Said Mr Mishra .

“India is currently the world’s Third largest producer of e-waste after the US and China but with a very low e-waste recycling facility. Presently only 300 recyclers are registered in the country but the rate of e-waste collection is very high in India owing to its valuable content. Unfortunately, the collection and recycling of e-waste is predominantly being done by the informal or unorganized labour through highly environmentally degradative ways, which cause serious health hazards. The new policy will help in formalizing the unorganized sector and strengthen the organized recycling units” said Mr Mishra.

“At Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) extends the responsibility of producers beyond the consumer stage for collection, storage, transportation and environmentally sound dismantling and recycling of e-waste and creating awareness among consumers through the instrument of EPR Authorization.” Said Mr Mishra.

“ Apart from responsibility of big companies, people and Resident Welfare Associations should come forward as most of the e waste is lying in houses of public .

The government should give incentive for buying new electronic products if one disposes off the old e waste . A platform is needed to be created for e waste thus making e waste recycling viable in the country. “ said Mr Sandeep Kumar, Regional director (Gurgaon South), Haryana state pollution control board while speaking at the interaction…Read More...