How effective is CPCB in its management of e-waste?

Electronic waste (e-waste) is the fastest-growing stream of waste globally.

The world produced around 53.6 million tonnes of e-waste in 2019, out of which only 17.4 per cent was recycled, a recent report by the United Nations (2020) found. The agency even termed this phenomenon a ‘tsunami of e-waste’.

The global e-waste monitor reported that India, with a population of around 1.38 billion, generated 3,230 kilotonnes (KT) of e-waste, out of which only 30 KT of e-waste was formally collected in 2019.

India generated around 2.4 kilograms of e-waste per capita; only 1 per cent of e-waste was formally collected. The informal sector of waste collection dominates over the formal sector, which is still in its infancy.

It should be noted here that while India’s per-capita generation is among the lowest in the world, the country is the third-largest generator of e-waste in the world.

The facts are disturbing. The responsibility of managing e-waste in India lies with the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and State Pollution Control Boards (SPCB). The authorities were recently summoned by the principal bench of National Green Tribunal (NGT), when the latter took cognizance of unscientific disposal of e-waste in Shailesh Singh v. State of UP. 

The NGT asked the authorities to submit a report on the actions taken to manage the e-waste in and around the capital.

Important data on e-waste

• The number of producers having extended producer responsibility authorisation (EPRA) as on November 26, 2020 was 1, 630; it was 1,703 on March 26, 2021. There was an increase of 73 EPRAs in one quarter
• The number of registered producer responsibility organisations (PRO) on November 26, 2020, was 44 and 51 on March 26, 2021 — an increase of seven PROs in one quarter
• The number of authorised dismantlers / recyclers was 312 on November 26, 2020, and 400 on March 26, 2021 — an increase of 88 authorised dismantlers / recyclers in a quarter
• The authorised recyclers and dismantlers had a combined processing capacity of 782,080.62 tonnes per annum on November 26, 2020; it was 1,068,542.72 tonnes per annum on March 26, 2021 — an increase of 286,462 tonnes per annum in a quarter
• The quantity of e-waste dismantled and recycled during FY 2017-18 and FY 2018-19 was 69,413 tonnes and 164,663 tonnes respectively — an increase of 95,250 tonnes in one year
• The collection target for FY 2017-18 & FY 2018-19 was 35,422.25 tonnes and 154,242.74 tonnes respectively. E-Waste collected against the collection target during FY 2017-18 and FY 2018-19 was 25,325.28 tonnes and 78,280.99 tonnes respectively
• A few states still have the lowest numbers of authorised recyclers / dismantlers: Assam (1), Chhattisgarh (2), Himachal Pradesh (2), Jharkhand (2), Madhya Pradesh (2), etc

The states with the highest number of authorised recyclers / dismantlers are Maharashtra (99), Karnataka (71) and Uttar Pradesh (68). A few states — such as like Arunachal Pradesh, Bihar, Kerala, Manipur, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Sikkim, etc — are yet to establish them.

Action by CPCB so far

CPCB for the first time quantified the generated e-waste in past three FYs: For 2017-18: 708,445 tonnes; for 2018-19, 771,215 tonnes; and for 2019-20, 1,014,961.2 tonnes.

It directed the Uttar Pradesh PCB to take action against dismantlers and recyclers for violating e-waste rules and guidelines.

• It recommended the inclusion of 75 new entries of electronic equipment to the existing list of 21 entries in schedule 1 of the e-Waste Rules
• It prepared guidelines for Environmental Compensation Charges (ECC)
• It issued show-cause notices to 186 producers for not meeting the collection targets
• CPCB issued show-cause notices to 292 producers whose collection centers were found non-complying or non-traceable
• It issued show-cause notice to 523 producers on October 6, 2020, for not submitting their annual returns
• A review meeting with all SPCBs / PCCs via video conference was organised to review the status of the implementation of the action plan during the first and second quarters of FY 2020-21
• It also organised a two-day training program on the E-waste Management Portal for SPCB / PCC officials
• It regularly asks the SPCBs / PCCs to revise the capacity of dismantlers and recyclers

Shortcomings in e-waste management

• Producers of the notified 21 categories of electronic equipment are not able to collect e-waste as per the specified target
• Only a few producers have been granted EPRA from CPCB. Only 1,630 producers have EPRA
• Many unauthorised dismantling and recycling units are still in function
• Efficient monitoring of the authorised dismantlers / recyclers is required due to the leakage from authorised to unauthorised dismantlers and recyclers
• Authorised dismantlers and recyclers have been given processing capacity beyond their actual processing capacity by the SPCBs
• Ensure allocation of industrial space or shed for e-waste dismantling and recycling in the existing and upcoming industrial parks and clusters
• The generation data collected by CPCB is based on the sales data of producers registered with it. They do not include imported e-waste figures. Therefore, actual figures for e-waste generation are likely to be far higher than the current estimates
• A national-level inventory of e-waste generation should be prepared. State-wise data is not produced due to a lack of reported data by SPCBs

What can be done?

• Strict enforcement of the existing domestic rules and regulations
• An integration model for the informal as well as the formal sector will result in lower costs at the pre-processing stage and efficient recycling
• Data inventory for data analysis and interpretation to know an estimate of e-waste produced annually. This will help strategize tackling the menace of e-waste
• Publishing data in the public domain will create transparency with respect to generation, flow channels and methods of handling and disposal of e-waste

Views expressed are the author’s own and don’t necessarily reflect those of Down To Earth