The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has notified the E-Waste
Management Rules, 2016 in supersession of the e-waste (Management &
Handling) Rules, 2011. Announcing the notification of the rules
here today, Minister of State (Independent Charge) of Environment, Forest and
Climate Change, Shri Prakash Javadekar, said that norms have been made more
stringent and reflect the government’s commitment to environmental
governance. He pointed out that the E-waste rules will now include
Compact Fluorescent Lamp (CFL) and other mercury containing lamps, as well as
other such equipment. The Minister said that for the first time, the
Rules will bring the producers under Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR),
along with targets. He added that producers have been made responsible
for collection of E-waste and for its exchange. “The bulk consumers must
collect the items and hand them over to authorized recyclers”, Shri Javadekar
said. He emphasized that 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. The Minister pointed out
that the role of State Governments has been also introduced to ensure safety,
health and skill development of the workers involved in dismantling and
recycling operations. He also stated that a provision of penalty for
violation of rules has been introduced.
Shri
Javadekar said that the process of dismantling and recycling has been
simplified through one system of authorization and that the Central Pollution
Control Board will give the single authorization throughout the country.
Emphasizing that toxic constituents present in E-waste and their disposal
mechanism affect human health and lead to various diseases, the Environment
Minister said that the transportation of E-waste has been made more
stringent. He added that17 lakh tonnes of E-waste is generated every
year, with an annual increase of 5 per cent of generation of E-waste.
The
draft E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2015 had been notified for public
consultation vide GSR No. 472 (E) dated 10th June, 2015 in the
Gazette of India, inviting public objections and suggestions. The Ministry
received approximately 584 suggestions/objections from various ministries and
departments, State Pollution Control Boards and individuals.
E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2016- What’s New?
1. Manufacturer, dealer, refurbisher and Producer Responsibility
Organization (PRO) have been intoruced as additional stakeholders
in the rules.
2. The applicability of the rules has been extended to components,
consumables, spares and parts of EEE in addition to equipment as
listed in Schedule I.
3. Compact Fluorescent Lamp (CFL) and other mercury containing lamp
brought under the purview of rules.
4. Collection mechanism based approach has been adopted to include
collection centre, collection point, take back system etc for collection
of e-waste by Producers under Extended Producer Responsibility
(EPR).
5. Option has been given for setting up of PRO, e-waste exchange, eretailer,
Deposit Refund Scheme as additional channel for
implementation of EPR by Producers to ensure efficient
channelization of e-waste.
6. Provision for Pan India EPR Authroization by CPCB has been
introduced replacing the state wise EPR authorization.
7. Collection and channelisation of e-waste in Extended Producer
Responsibility - Authorisation shall be in line with the targets
prescribed in Schedule III of the Rules. The phase wise Collection
Target for e-waste, which can be either in number or Weight shall be
30% of the quantity of waste generation as indicated in EPR Plan
during first two year of implementation of rules followed by 40%
during third and fourth years, 50% during fifth and sixth years and
70% during seventh year onwards.
8. Deposit Refund Scheme has 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-oflife
electrical and electronic equipment is returned.
9. The e-waste exchange as an option has been provided in the rules as an
independent market instrument offering assistance or independent
electronic systems offering services for sale and purchase of e-waste
generated from end-of-life electrical and electronic equipment
between agencies or organizations authorised under these rules.
10.The manufacturer is also now responsible to collect e-waste generated
during the manufacture of any electrical and electronic equipment
and channelise it for recycling or disposal and seek authorization
from SPCB.
11.The dealer, if has been given the responsibility of collection on behalf of
the producer, need to collect the e-waste by providing the consumer a
box and channelize it to Producer.
12.Dealer or retailer or e-retailer shall refund the amount as per take back
system or Deposit Refund Scheme of the producer to the depositor of
e-waste.
13.Refurbisher need collect e-waste generated during the process of
refurbishing and channelise the waste to authorised dismantler or
recycler through its collection centre and seek one time authorization
from SPCB.
14.The roles of the State Government has been also introduced in the Rules
in order to ensure safety, health and skill development of the workers
involved in the dismantling and recycling operations.
15.Department of Industry in State or any other government agency
authorised in this regard by the State Government is to ensure
earmarking or allocation of industrial space or shed for e-waste
dismantling and recycling in the existing and upcoming industrial
park, estate and industrial clusters.
16.Department of Labour in the State or any other government agency
authorised in this regard by the State Government need to ensure
recognition and registration of workers involved in dismantling and
recycling; assist formation of groups of such workers to facilitate
setting up dismantling facilities; undertake industrial skill
development activities for the workers involved in dismantling and
recycling; and undertake annual monitoring and to ensure safety &
health of workers involved in dismantling and recycling.
17.State Government to prepare integrated plan for effective
implementation of these provisions, and to submit annual report to
Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
18.The transportation of e-waste shall be carried out as per the manifest
system whereby the transporter shall be required to carry a
document (three copies) prepared by the sender, giving the details.
19.Liability for damages caused to the environment or third party due to
improper management of e-waste including provision for levying
financial penalty for violation of provisions of the Rules has also been
introduced.
20.Urban Local Bodies (Municipal Committee/Council/Corporation) has
been assign the duty to collect and channelized the orphan products
to authorized dismantler or recycler.
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