Ewaste 1

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Cochin Port a safe conduit for imported e-waste

Publication: New Indian Express
Provider: HT Media Ltd
November 23, 2010

KOCHI, Nov. 23 -- With the authorities of major port cities across the country upping the ante to bust the import of ewaste, the North Indian traders,
who are into importing a large quantity of used electronic goods, have started opting for Cochin Port for the safe import of junk electronic goods from
the US, Korea and the UK. Published by HT Syndication with permission from New Indian Express. For any query with respect to this article or any
other content requirement, please contact Editor at htsyndication@hindustantimes.com
Probe uncovers e-waste hazards in prisons

Publication: Metal Bulletin
Provider: Metal Bulletin com
November 22, 2010

21:52:59 (GMT)
An investigation of Federal Prison Industries Inc.`s electronic waste recycling program has uncovered numerous health concerns, as well as safety,
environmental compliance and theft issues involving inmates who disassemble electronics to recover the metals.
"Staff members often failed to perform hazard assessments on new e-waste operations or did so incorrectly, and important health and safety
information was not shared," according to a report spearheaded by the U.S. Justice Department`s Office of the Inspector General.
The report was based on the inspection of 10 sites by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, the Federal Occupational Health Service, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Hazards related to the toxicity of some metals was concealed, with workers allegedly exposed to 31 metals. The focus was on cadmium and lead,
which were found to exceed OSHA exposure limits.
More than 1,000 inmates are employed in the full-service recycling program run by Federal Prison Industries, known as Unicor, which sells various
consumer products and services generated by its inmate labor force. The program was launched to recycle electronics in 1997 and has 103 factories
in 73 prisons. In some years, Unicor has processed more than 40 million pounds of e-waste.
The 433-page report, which took four years to complete, also alleged misconduct and criminal activity among those hired to oversee the program.
"These included actions that endangered staff and inmates," the report said, noting alleged misconduct by at least 11 managers.
While the Office of the Inspector General said potential criminal activity was happening, it admitted that it couldn`t initiate legal action due to an
array of evidentiary, legal and strategic concerns.
In July, the manager of one facility was indicted oncharges that included conflict of interest, wire fraud, money laundering and conspiracy. He pled
guilty in September and is awaiting sentencing.
Medical records and examinations of inmates were also allegedly inadequate. E-waste was also reportedly sold to vendors who in turn exported the
material, with no paper trail indicating where the material went and whether it was unlawfully disposed of abroad or used in a manner that could
create environmental and health hazards.
New e-waste operations, including those at the federal penitentiary at Fort Dix, N.J., were allegedly initiated without permits or authorization from
the state`s Department of Environmental Protection.
The investigation stems from a formal complaint filed nearly two years ago claiming that the recycling of electronics was making prisoners and staff
members sick (AMM, Jan. 16, 2009).
Alterations have since been made to the way cathode ray tubes (CRTs), which contain between two and five pounds of lead, are destroyed. CRTs are
no longer processed by inmates, and associated glass-breaking operations are now outsourced to private companies.
Efforts are under way to decontaminate prior glass-breaking areas, improve record keeping for medical surveillance data, and monitor surface
contamination levels.
Inspections are due to begin in 18 months.
Business - Dri Examining E-Waste Materials

Publication: Press Trust of India - News
Provider: Press Trust of India
1 of 40 04-12-2010 19:33
November 19, 2010 (22:58)

Kochi, Nov 19 (PTI) Directorate of Revenue Intelligence is examining 10 containers carrying electronic scrap items, which reached here from the US
and Korea, officials said today.
The containers were seized a month ago from Kochi Port by the DRI.
"We are investigating the matter. Examination of the containers is almost over after which show cause notices will be issued to importers of these
items," a top DRI official said.
The containers carrying second hand computers, copiers and other electronic items were imported by five companies from New Delhi, Kolkata and
Rajasthan.
Six months ago, DRI officials in Chennai had seized similar containers following which the importers had chosen new ports for their operations,
officials said.
Source:- Business
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Australian Metal And E-waste Recycler Sims To Pursue Growth

Publication: Asia Pulse
Provider: Asia Pulse Pty Ltd
November 19, 2010

SYDNEY, Nov 19 Asia Pulse - Australian metal and e-waste recycler Sims Metal Management Ltd (ASX:SGM) says it will pursue further acquisitive
growth in 2010/11, after completing two transactions early in the financial year.
Sims Metal refrained from giving solid quantitative guidance for the current year, saying only that markets had not changed materially since the
company's October update.
The company reported a net profit of $8.2 million in the first quarter of 2010/11, down 75 per cent on the same period last year.
Sales revenue rose four per cent to $1.88 billion during the company's fifth consecutive profitable quarter.
"While results in our first quarter of this fiscal year were below expectations, shareholders should not lose sight of the fact that your company
operates in a cyclical industry," chairman Paul Varello told Sims' annual general meeting on Friday.
Mr Varello said scrap flows and margins were still constrained, particularly in North America.
Chief executive Daniel W Dienst said Sims had completed its purchase of Wincanton PLC in the UK and agreed to buy the assets of Commercial
Metal Recycling Services in Queensland in first quarter.
"We will continue to pursue growth opportunities in the remainder of our 2011 fiscal year and beyond," he said.
"Such growth is being explored across all geographies and business lines as evidenced by the transactions that have already taken place in our 2011
fiscal year."
Mr Dienst said in October that ferrous markets were expected to trade sideways in the second quarter of 2010/11, with continued volatility in the
longer term.
Shares in Sims Metal had dropped 13 cents to $17.14 by 1339 AEDT.
(AAP) ms 19-11 1714
aspu
(AMM) Pa. lawmakers OK e-waste bill

November 17, 2010

17:03:00 (GMT)
Pennsylvania`s House of Representatives on Monday approved legislation that would establish an electronics recycling program for the state.
If signed by Gov. Ed Rendell, the bill would require electronics manufacturers to register their devices with the state`s Department of Environmental
Protection and require them to establish and manage a plan to collect and recycle their products.
The proposed bill would also ban e-waste from being dumped in landfills and require manufacturers to pay into the newly created Electronic
Materials Recycling Account to support the department`s implementation of the law.
The House matched a measure approved by the state`s Senate in August circumventing the need to establish a conference committee to reconcile any
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differences in the legislation.
E-waste disposal: 2084 IT firms to get notice

October 23, 2010

BANGALORE, Oct. 23 -- In its efforts to reduce pollution caused by indiscriminate disposal of electronic waste, the Karnataka Pollution Control
Board (KSPCB) is planning to write to all the 2,084 IT companies in the city asking them to furnish details of e-waste generated by them and the
ways employed to dispose them. Published by HT Syndication with permission from New Indian Express. For any query with respect to this article or
any other content requirement, please contact Editor at htsyndication@hindustantimes.com
E-waste disposal: IT companies to get notice

October 23, 2010

BANGALORE, Oct. 23 -- In its efforts to reduce pollution caused by indiscriminate disposal of electronic waste, the Karnataka Pollution Control
Board (KSPCB) is planning to write to all the 2,084 IT companies in the city asking them to furnish details of e-waste generated by them and the
ways employed to dispose them. Published by HT Syndication with permission from New Indian Express. For any query with respect to this article or
any other content requirement, please contact Editor at htsyndication@hindustantimes.com
E-waste is posing a serious threat to Bangalore’s ecology

Publication: DNA - Daily News and Analysis
Provider: Diligent Media Corporation
October 19, 2010
Abhishek Pratap
The large use of electronic and electrical equipment has created electronic-waste or e-waste with disastrous environmental consequences for
Bangalore. According to Indian Institute of Material Management, e-waste generated from computers alone comes to 8,000 tonnes annually.
If we add e-waste generated from mobile phones, televisions, printers and consumer and industrial equipment, this figure will mount several fold.
What is the solution? E-waste needs a more integrated waste management approach to avoid environmental problems associated with its treatment. A
full life cycle approach to electronic waste which involves producers, state governments, local bodies, recycling sector and consumers offers the best
solution for limiting e-waste-related problems.
In this context, the proposal by the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) to put a cess on e-waste generated by IT companies is a welcome
move. But why is it that only the IT industry will be charged with cess and not the whole of electronics and IT manufacturing industry? What about
those bulk consumers of IT and other electronic equipment in other sector and PSUs?
All bulk consumers, irrespective of domain expertise, should be asked to pay for pollution due to e-waste. BBMP should spell out how this cess is
going to be implemented. Palike should specify whether it will be according to the product?s use or tonnes of waste generated by the firm.
The solution to e-waste problem lies with the manufacturers of the original equipment. Further, any kind of cess or recycling fee should be linked to
the cost of the product as e-waste leads to proliferation of toxic chemicals in environment.
Such toxic chemicals should be phased out from the products which only manufacturers can do as they control their design. And they will do so only
if their financial liability is linked to the use of toxic chemicals in their products. This will help in designing products that are more durable, repairable,
upgradeable or reusable. They can take back end-of-life products for reuse or recycling through existing retail and service centres.
The answer to the looming e-waste crisis lies not in finding new downstream hiding places for this waste; it lies not in exporting it to the desperately
poor, but in moving upstream to prevent the problem at its manufacturing source. The prevailing ?trash and buy? cycle comes with a heavy price that
we are just beginning to pay.
?The writer is a Greenpeace campaigner
COPYRIGHT © 2006 DILIGENT MEDIA CORPORATION LTD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. REPRODUCTION RIGHTS
syndication@dnaindia.net
Nigeria embracing safer e-waste recycling

Publication: Hindu
Provider: Kasturi & Sons Ltd.
3 of 40 04-12-2010 19:33
October 12, 2010
Louise Tickle
Dealing with it is hazardous, but a new course hopes to make it safer.
People in developing countries who make a living scavenging the dumps of electronic equipment thrown away by the first world face daily hazards
most of us never consider as we gaily order our new mobile, laptop or flat-screen television. Recycling our waste electrical items is a dirty job, and
those who do it are among the poorest and least educated in the world.
The common practice of burning plastic cables to gain quick access to the valuable copper inside, for instance, gives off smoke that can cause chest
and lung problems. Some of the chemicals released into the environment are carcinogenic. Crude break-up of electrical items can cause heavy metals
such as lead and mercury to leach into the soil, and then into the water table. From here, they are taken up by plants, ingested by animals, and
eventually accumulate at the top of the food chain, in humans.
Illegal to ship
Though it is now illegal under the U.N.'s Basel Convention for developed countries to ship their toxic e-waste to other countries, there's no doubt it
still happens. And even when electronic equipment is certified as safe for re-use and exported legally, the thousands of manual workers who
dismantle it are still unlikely to have had any training in how to safely handle it.
Educating these workers in what is a highly casual sector is the problem now being tackled by Professor Oladele Osibanjo, director of the Basel
Convention Coordinating Centre For Training and Technology Transfer for the African Region. Osibanjo, based in Lagos, Nigeria, has campaigned
internationally against illegal dumping: now, he says, it is imperative to educate workers in how to retrieve the valuable components they depend on
for financial survival without damaging their health and that of their community and wider environment.
The difficulty lies not simply in persuading them to attend training, but in finding suitable methods of teaching technical skills to individuals who are
often illiterate.
E-learning and workshops
To have any hope of making an impact, training methods must be flexible and highly accessible, and this is where e-learning materials created by U.K.
company Learning Light have played a part, in combination with face-to-face workshops led by Dr. Margaret Bates from Northampton University's
Centre for Sustainable Wastes Management. Approached by Osibanjo to see if she could facilitate some initial training for waste workers in Lagos,
Bates had to think hard about how to adapt her university approach to teaching people with no academic background. Making graphically clear the
long-term effects of poor working practices ? through visual images of illnesses contracted because of pollution ? is one way she tackled the problem.
,,If you're going to stop people continuing with dangerous working practices you have to show them more than just a financial incentive. So the first
workshop we ran was the really horrible one, about dioxins and how babies can be affected. We spent time showing participants very visually the
effects of this kind of pollution." About 150 people came along, including local associations of scavengers, dismantlers, repairers, refurbishers and
retailers of used and component parts in Lagos state. Representatives of the largest informal e-waste market associations in Lagos also attended.
,,The participants were advised to choose from continuing with the present methods, which can shorten their life span, and spend most of the money
made from the business in paying for healthcare costs; or adopt international best practice using correct tools and personal protective equipment, and
live longer and healthier lives," says Osibanjo. ,,Later, the participants admitted to being enlightened that they are at risk of being hurt by e-waste."
Nothing like this had ever been on offer in Nigeria before, says Bates. Driving home the dramatic impacts on human health required her to lead the
first workshop; the second session, however, used a tutorial programme already developed by e-learning design specialists Learning Light for prisoner
education in the U.K.
Though Bates was present for this session, too, the idea is that in future she need not be. It's crucial to the long-term success of this initiative that
workers can study under their own steam.
Delivered in discrete online units requiring no reading or writing, and designed to meet the requirements of the European Union's Weee (waste
electrical and electronic equipment) Directive, Learning Light's teaching units are loaded into a computer ? or accessed online where broadband
services are good enough ? and use strong visual and oral prompts that translate easily from a U.K. context to a Nigerian classroom.
,,We've got modules for dismantling inkjet printers and computer base stations," says Bates ? but that's just the start. Learning Light is developing
teaching modules for a variety of equipment types that will ultimately be remotely accessible.
The impact of combining face-to-face contact with experts from Northampton's Centre for Sustainable Wastes Management, with an e-learning
course that can be carried out thousands of miles away, could make a significant impact on the safety of those working in the Nigerian dismantling
industry, suggests Bates ? if funding can be found to keep the course going. Getting approval and encouragement from Nigerian government officials
will be vital.
In the U.K., the Learning Light course leads to a nationally recognised vocational qualification now, with the help of feedback from the initial training
sessions, Bates and Osibanjo are working with Nigerian regulators to create a distance-learning programme that will lead to a formal Nigerian
qualification for people who might never even have finished school. The sooner a course can be accredited, the easier it will be to attract funding that
allows those who rely on our electronic waste to do so without putting their health at risk.? © Guardian Newspapers Limited, 2010
e-waste monitor on cards

October 6, 2010
BHUBANESWAR, Oct. 6 -- In the face of growing concerns over e-waste disposal across the country, the Orissa State Pollution Control Board
4 of 40 04-12-2010 19:33
(OSPCB) is ready to undertake intensive mapping of the waste management and handling scenario in the State. The exercise aims at preparing the
pollution control authority to put in place an effective monitoring and regulatory system in Orissa as a national policy and rules on hazardous e-waste
management are expected to be framed and made operational soon.
The authority would be looking at the present practices in e-waste management from collection to dismantling and recovery, working conditions,
recycling and final state of the waste. The entire supply chain, dumping hubs, methods adopted for dismantling the waste and recovery along with the
end fate of the waste would be examined.
At present, Orissa accounts for two per cent of the estimated e-waste generation in the country. e-waste include computers, IT accessories, musical
systems, data storage devices, electronic and electrical appliances from TV, fridge, microwave, washing machine and AC to telecommunication
products as phones, mobile phones and accessories along with IT-driven medical and industrial equipment. With e-waste generation in the country
this year estimated to be at over 4.5 lakh tonne, Orissa's share would not be less than 9,000 tonne. "e-waste generation in the State is poised for a
huge jump with fast rise in penetration of PCs and mobile phones. The growing affluence in society is also driving acquisition of electronic and
electrical items," OSPCB senior scientist NR Sahoo said on the sidelines of the multi-stakeholder workshop on 'e-waste perspective and challenges',
organised by Toxic Link and Jeevan Rekha Parishad (JRP) here today.
The problem is that there is absolutely no awareness on the hazardous nature of e-waste among the people. The handling and dismantling process are
unorganised and pose serious risks to not only the handlers but also society. e-waste contains 1,000 substances and chemicals, most of which are
extremely toxic, and likely to create serious problems for environment and health if not handled properly. PCs, mobiles, electronics items contain
highly toxic heavy metals as lead, cadmium, mercury, hexavalent chromium, plastics, barium and brominated flame retardants that can cause diseases
from cancer to nervous damage and organ failure to respiratory problems. That almost the whole of the waste is non-biodegradable is another matter.
In the absence of a specific regulation, e-waste is handled in the unorganised sector as backyard operations using rudimentary techniques - hammers
for breaking apart and burning and acid bath for recovery of wanted components. The remnants are then dumped in land or water bodies which cause
pollution and contamination. The e-waste recycling industry is mainly in slums and only around five per cent of it is through organised industry.
There are about six industries authorised for recycling e-waste, associate director, Toxics Link, Satish Sinha said.
Former chief secretary and Citizen's Apex Association chief NK Panda, former Utkal University V-C Dr B Mohanty and Director, JRP, Dr MR
Mishra were present. Published by HT Syndication with permission from New Indian Express. For any query with respect to this article or any other
content requirement, please contact Editor at htsyndication@hindustantimes.com
State to formulate policy on e-waste management soon

Publication: Hindu
October 6, 2010
Staff Reporter
OSPCB to carry out first assessment on volume of electronic waste
BHUBANESWAR: As è-waste' piles up causing threat to environment, the Orissa State Pollution Control Board (OSPCB) is contemplating carrying
out the first assessment on volume of electronic waste being generated in the State and the process of its handling.
The exercise will lead to formulation of a policy in line with a national legislation on hazardous e-waste management which is expected to come up
shortly.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a workshop on è-waste perspective and challenges' organised by Toxis Link and Jeevan Rekha Parishad
here on Tuesday, N. R. Sahu, senior scientist with OSPCB, said, ,,we will undertake mapping of e-waste generation and its management in the State."
,,The study will focus how tonnes of e-waste moves from it source points through informal channel such as kawadiwallas, then to small traders and
large traders and finally to the place of dismantling or refurbishing," said Mr. Sahu.
He said the assessment would be done on the basis of sale of electronic gadgets ranging from television to cell phones and computers to freezers and
their end use.
As per an estimation, Orissa accounts for 2 per cent of the estimated e-waste generation in the country at present. With e-waste generation in the
country this year estimated to be over 4.5 lakh tonne, Orissa's share would not be less than 9,000 tonne. ,,Penetration of television and cell phone sets
has reached remote parts of the State. Generation of e-waste would become a critical issue in five year down the line. We should stay prepared for
this," the OSPCB scientist said.
Legislation soon
Mr. Sahu said if there would be a national legislation on e-waste handling in near future, the State should be in a position to emulate it.
Speaking on the occasion, Associate Director of Toxics Link Satish Sinha said every city produced e-waste in great volume, but dealt the waste in ad
hoc manner.
E-waste contains 1,000 different substances and chemicals, most of which are extremely toxic, and likely to create serious problems for the
environment, health if not handled properly. PCs, mobiles, electronic items contain highly toxic heavy metals as lead, cadmium, mercury, plastics,
barium and brominated flame retardants that could cause diseases from cancer to nervous damage, organ failure to respiratory problems.
Mr. Sinha said, ,,as middle class grows across the country, so does the sale of electronic products, e-waste will eventually reach every village and
create numerous health hazards. If you don't think of it now, it will be too late."
Toxis Link and Jeevan Rekha Parishad hold workshop
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Orissa accounts for 2 per cent of e-waste generation in the country
Environment E Waste Two Last New Delhi

Publication: United News of India
October 5, 2010
Kochi, Oct. 4 -- The rules bind manufacturers to collect own e-waste as also e-waste generated from the 'end of life' of their products in line with the
principle of ''extended producer responsibility'' (EPR) and channelise it to the registered refurbisher, dismantler or recycler. The manufacturers have
also to set up collection centres or devise a take-back mechanism either individually or collectively for all electrical and electronic equipment at the
end of their life. Every distributor is required to collect the e-waste by providing consumers a box, bin or a demarcated area and transport it to the
producer or to the authorised collection centres. The rules also task consumer and bulk consumer with the responsibility to deposit e-waste with the
distributor or authorised collection centres. The bulk consumers can also send it to refurbishers, recyclers and registered dismantlers or avail
tack-back services by producers. The bulk consumers are also required to file annual returns of the e-waste disposal to the pollution authority
concerned on or before June 30 following the financial year. The rules cover the consumer electrical and electronic items like refrigerators, washing
machines, air-conditioners, television sets, including LCD and LED, and IT and telecommunication equipment. Centralised data processing,
mainframes, mini-computers, personal computers (CPU with input and output devices), laptops (CPU with input and output devices), notebook,
notepad, printers and cartridges, copying equipment, electrical and electronic typewriters, pocket and desk calculators, user terminals and systems,
fax machines, telex, telephones, pay, cordless and cellular telephones, answering systems, sound transmitting equipment are among items listed in the
Schedule notified by the Environment Ministry. The rules also bind all those related to the business not to store e-waste for more than 120 days and
maintain record of their collection, sale, transfer and segregation. The state pollution control boards are empowered to extend this period up to six
months to dismantlers and recyclers and to collection centres in states which do not have any registered dismantling or recycling facility. Published by
HT Syndication with permission from United News of India. For any query with respect to this article or any other content requirement, please
contact Editor at htsyndication@hindustantimes.com
Toothless Rules On E-Waste Disposal Comes Into Force From Jan 1

October 5, 2010
New Delhi, Oct. 4 -- Come January 1, you can not throw your electrical and electronic equipment in garbage bin or sell it to the scrape dealer
(kabadi) or 'raddiwala'. But you can deposit this e-waste with the distributor or at the authorised collection centres to be set up across the country.
Also from the New Year Day, imports of used electrical and electronic equipment or components except for repair or refurbishing would stand
banned under the E-waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 2010, notified by the Environment and Forest Ministry today under the Environment
(Protection) Act, 1986. The rules have been notified to curb hazards from unregulated disposal of electronic waste. The products will carry address,
telephone and helpline numbers and e-mail of distributors and authorised collection centres to enable consumer to return used electrical and
electronic equipment. The manufacturers are also required to affix a symbol, prescribed in the rules, on the products to prevent e-waste disposal in
garbage bins. No penalty or punishment is, however, prescribed for violators except for those authorised to handle e-waste as they could lose their
licence they need to acquire under the rules. The rules lay down elaborate responsibilities on producers, distributors, recyclers, collection centres as
also ordinary and bulk consumers. One of the key provisions of the rules is to reduce the use of hazardous materials in the manufacture of electrical
and electronic equipment within three years. Producers are required to ensure that the new equipment does not contain lead, mercury, cadmium,
hexavalent chromium, polybrominated biphenyls (PBB) or polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE). Published by HT Syndication with permission
from United News of India. For any query with respect to this article or any other content requirement, please contact Editor at
htsyndication@hindustantimes.com
Mmrda Appoints Deloitee As E-Waste Management Project

Consultants
September 27, 2010

Mumbai, Sept. 25 -- The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) today announced that it had appointed Deloitee Touche
Tohmatsu India Pvt Ltd, a well- experienced and internationally renowned organisation, as consultants to give final shape to its much-awaited
e-Waste Management Project in Maharashtra. The project, to be taken on public-private partnership (PPP) model, would not only be a model project
to be followed by the rest of India, but also among the developing countries, a release here said. Since the PPP model was totally a new concept,
MMRDA had selected M/s Deloitte after inviting tender bids from the five participants from the empanelled list of government such as M/s KPMG,
M/s CRISIL, M/s Deloitte, M/s Price Waterhouse (Coopers) and M/s Feedback Ventures. Under the PPP model, the consultant would review the
project reports previously prepared by the consultants and also give a shape to the projects. This would involve careful preparation of concessionaire
agreement, logistics and also terms and conditions and parameters to select the best project partner. The e-waste Management Project, that was taken
up by MMRDA in the year 2008, aims to address the problems of e-waste that is generated in Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) to the extent of
15,000 tonnes per annum in Mumbai and adjoining areas, and to the extent of 20,000 tonnes per year in the rest of Maharashtra. As per the estimate,
the overall production of e-waste, which is 50,000 tonnes in India would increase to 8,00,000 tonnes by 2012. M R Shah, Principal Advisor (SWM
Project Cell) at MMRDA, in the release, said ''we are preparing the advance planning to cope up with e-waste generation which gradually becomes
dangerous not only to the environment but also lead to occupational hazards to the handlers.'' The MMRDA would give the land, moral and
institutional support to the PPP model at each and every point, so that project comes up in an expected time of not more than two years. For this, a
plot of four acres of land had been identified, which would take care of all the futuristic requirements up to 20 years including sufficient storage space
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for finished and unfinished products. The total project cost is Rs 76 crore, which is divided into three phases. The phases I and II would cost Rs 38
crore. In phase I, all the incoming e-waste would be physically separated and sorted through different streams, whereas in phase II, it would be
segregated through machines, from where materials may go to the third level, that is recyclers, for recovery of precious metals like chromium,
platinum, gold and silver that are mainly used in the circuit system to bring high efficiency of electronic gadgets, the release added. Published by HT
Syndication with permission from United News of India. For any query with respect to this article or any other content requirement, please contact
Editor at htsyndication@hindustantimes.com
Ramky Enviro Receives Cpcb Nod For E-waste Hub

Publication: Business Line
September 10, 2010
Our Bureau
Hyderabad, Sept. 9
Ramky Enviro announced it had received the Central Pollution Control Board's approval for its integrated e-waste recycling facility at Hardware
Park, Hyderabad.
The CPCB authorisation provides the permit to recycle 10,000 tonne of e-waste annually, which makes Ramky the biggest e-waste recycler in
Andhra Pradesh. The facility is equipped with environment-friendly technology and can serve a variety of electronic waste.
Mr Raman Nanda, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Ramky Enviro, in a statement, said: ,,The facility is designed to cater to
industrial, domestic and IT sectors across the geography with our logistics network. We are looking forward to the new È-waste Rules,' likely to be
gazetted shortly by the Ministry of Environment and Forests, which will give a boost to the volumes and the business and will also support the green
initiative of the Government of India."
This facility is capable of recycling more than 98 per cent from e-waste, and the rest will be disposed off scientifically, he said.
It has the complete package of services ? collection, transportation, storage, dismantling, shredding and recycling of all kinds of electronic and
electrical waste ? to provide safe and secure destruction services and to protect intellectual property rights.
Ramky plans to establish more e-waste recycling facilities and strengthen the logistics network. It has applied for the requisite approvals to the
Pollution Control Boards of various States. The first facility has been set up in Andhra Pradesh at Hardware Park, Hyderabad. Another facility is
coming up in Bangalore.
Services include collection, transportation, storage, dismantling, shredding and recycling of all kinds of e-waste.
Govt may ban import of e-waste

Publication: Times of India
Provider: Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd
September 6, 2010
Pradeep Thakur
NEW DELHI: The government is considering banning the import of used computers and other electronic waste - coming primarily from developed
nations such as US, Australia, Canada and parts of Europe - after several cases of e-waste smuggling came to light recently.
A decision is likely to be taken at the Economic Intelligence Council meeting scheduled for this month to be chaired by finance minister Pranab
Mukherjee.
The matter had come up for discussion at the coordination committee meeting of various economic intelligence agencies chaired by revenue secretary
Sunil Mitra in mid-July. Mitra had then asked the director general of foreign trade to frame suitable changes in the policy to ban such imports.
The e-waste issue assumed significance after the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) seized some containers in Chennai containing large
quantity of such waste. The imports were made despite a prohibitory order in this regard. The half-a-dozen seized containers were filled with outdated
computers and electrical waste. On further investigation, it was found that containers carried hundreds of tonnes of e-waste sourced from Australia,
Canada, Korea and Brunei in violation of norms.
E-waste is being dumped in the country by developing nations using loopholes in domestic rules which allow NGOs and educational institutions to
import such gadgets freely on the pretext of donations.
Conscious of the fact that huge shipments of e-waste generated in developing countries are finding convenient burial ground in India, the government
had through a public notice on May 13, 2010 prohibited educational and other institutions from importing second hand computers, laptops and
computer peripherals, including printers, plotters, scanners, monitors, keyboards and storage units. The step was short of a complete ban on such
imports.
However, with Customs continuing to seize such illegal shipments, it seems the prohibition order has had little impact. Though the finance ministry is
in favour of a complete ban, the commerce ministry does not seem too inclined for such stringent measures.
At the July meeting chaired by the revenue secretary, DGFT had mooted the idea of raising vigilance at ports and asking the Customs department to
confiscate such imports if detected, instead of a complete ban.
7 of 40 04-12-2010 19:33
Till the DGFT came up with the May 13 amendment prohibiting e-waste import, second hand computers and laptops were brought into the country
using this clause that allowed such imports through donations made to educational institutions, registered charitable hospitals, public library, research
and development organisations and community information centers.
Disposal of e-waste often leads to emission of dangerous gases like in the process of recovery of copper from e-waste dioxins are released in the
environment. Toxic cyanide is released in the process of extraction of yellow metal from electrical waste and computer components.
Environmental agencies worldwide estimate dumping of e-waste in India is likely to go up by 500% in the next 10 years. Already, environment
bodies estimate India generates nearly 4 lakh tonnes of e-waste annually which is likely to double in the next few years. The country, however, lacks
effective disposal mechanism.
For Reprint Rights: timescontent.com
Policy - Govt may ban import of e-waste

Publication: Economic Times
September 6, 2010
Pradeep Thakur
NEW DELHI: The government is considering banning the import of used computers and other electronic waste - coming primarily from developed
nations such as US, Australia, Canada and parts of Europe - after several cases of e-waste smuggling came to light recently.
A decision is likely to be taken at the Economic Intelligence Council meeting scheduled for this month to be chaired by finance minister Pranab
Mukherjee.
The matter had come up for discussion at the coordination committee meeting of various economic intelligence agencies chaired by revenue secretary
Sunil Mitra in mid-July. Mitra had then asked the director general of foreign trade to frame suitable changes in the policy to ban such imports.
The e-waste issue assumed significance after the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) seized some containers in Chennai containing large
quantity of such waste. The imports were made despite a prohibitory order in this regard. The half-a-dozen seized containers were filled with outdated
computers and electrical waste. On further investigation, it was found that containers carried hundreds of tonnes of e-waste sourced from Australia,
Canada, Korea and Brunei in violation of norms.
E-waste is being dumped in the country by developing nations using loopholes in domestic rules which allow NGOs and educational institutions to
import such gadgets freely on the pretext of donations.
Conscious of the fact that huge shipments of e-waste generated in developing countries are finding convenient burial ground in India, the government
had through a public notice on May 13, 2010 prohibited educational and other institutions from importing second hand computers, laptops and
computer peripherals, including printers, plotters, scanners, monitors, keyboards and storage units. The step was short of a complete ban on such
imports.
However, with Customs continuing to seize such illegal shipments, it seems the prohibition order has had little impact. Though the finance ministry is
in favour of a complete ban, the commerce ministry does not seem too inclined for such stringent measures.
At the July meeting chaired by the revenue secretary, DGFT had mooted the idea of raising vigilance at ports and asking the Customs department to
confiscate such imports if detected, instead of a complete ban.
Till the DGFT came up with the May 13 amendment prohibiting e-waste import, second hand computers and laptops were brought into the country
using this clause that allowed such imports through donations made to educational institutions, registered charitable hospitals, public library, research
and development organisations and community information centers.
Disposal of e-waste often leads to emission of dangerous gases like in the process of recovery of copper from e-waste dioxins are released in the
environment. Toxic cyanide is released in the process of extraction of yellow metal from electrical waste and computer components.
Environmental agencies worldwide estimate dumping of e-waste in India is likely to go up by 500% in the next 10 years. Already, environment
bodies estimate India generates nearly 4 lakh tonnes of e-waste annually which is likely to double in the next few years. The country, however, lacks
effective disposal mechanism.
Firms take back used items to check e-waste

Publication: Telegraph
Provider: ABP Limited
September 6, 2010
JAYATI GHOSE
New Delhi, Sept. 5: Manufacturers of electric and electronic products have started the recycling and disposal of e-waste as part of their
environment-friendly initiatives.
Samsung, Nokia and HCL Infosystems are among those to join the green bandwagon.
8 of 40 04-12-2010 19:33
“As a responsible corporate citizen, environmental protection is one of our key priorities. This initiative reaffirms our commitment towards building
awareness for responsible consumption, waste management practices and ensuring proper end-of-life treatment to reduce the burden on the planet,”
said J.S. Shin, president and CEO of Samsung (Southwest Asia).
Under the Samsung Take- Back and Recycling (STAR) programme, consumer durables such as television sets, DVD players, home theatre systems,
mobile phones, cameras, computer monitors, printers and home appliances can be disposed of at 235 locations in 20 cities.
Nokia and HCL also allow customers to return handsets, and computer peripherals at specific pick-up points from where they are sent for recycling
and disposal.
Most companies, including Samsung, Nokia and HCL, have partnered e-waste recyclers authorised by the ministry of environment and forests. The
recycling partners are committed to not incinerating, landfilling, or exporting toxic wastes to developing countries.
Electronic waste — or e-waste — refers to old, end-of-life electronic appliances, which have been dumped by their users.
“Electrical and electronic equipment are made up of components which contain toxic substances that can have an adverse impact on human health
and the environment if not handled properly,” said a Greenpeace activist.
A survey by an international NGO said India generated 4 lakh tonnes of e-waste every year.
According to E-Parisara, India’s first recycler, 99 per cent of the e-waste can be recycled in the country, with less than 1 per cent toxic waste
emanating, which is sent to landfills.
The government’s recently drafted e-waste policy proposes to make manufacturers and dealers of electrical and electronic products accountable for
the disposal of the goods.
City spews 30K tonnes of e-waste per annum
The IT revolution in Tamil Nadu, particularly in Chennai, has created an additional burden for the civic authorities. The e-waste generation in the city
is on a rise due to the enhanced usage of computers and latest electronic devices and there is no proper scientific mechanism to treat e-waste.
A recent study by the city corporation revealed that Chennai generates about 14,000 tonnes of e-waste from faulty computers and hardware. For the
fiscal 2008-09, the waste generated through compact disc (CDs) and tapes was estimated to be around 2,800 tonnes, while mobile phones generated a
solid waste of 47 tonnes during this period.
It is approximately estimated that Chennai generates about 30,000 tonnes of e-waste annually. â€œThe city corporation will soon identify a private
firm to handle the e-waste generated from Chennai. The corporation council will discuss this issue shortly,â€ corporation commissioner Rajesh
Lakhoni said. Only a few private firms handle e-waste and they sell the parts that can be reused. In future, the civic body will also have an e-waste
management policy, the commissioner added.
According to Ripon Buildings sources, the treatment of e-waste will be taken up on a scientific basis. The private firm will procure the e-waste from
the corporation and after dismantling the electronic structures it can re-sell the products. Besides, some dismantled parts should be segregated and
shredded before undergoing special treatment.
The special treatment will also include electromagnetic separation; Eddy current separation and density separation using water has also to be
undertaken. The process has to be scientifically dealt with as the ferrous, non-ferrous metals and plastics have to be removed.
The civic body has engaged a private consultant for selection of a private developer for implementing e-waste management. The flourishing Chennai
IT industrial belt is one of the electronic hubs of the country producing enormous amounts of e-waste and this waste has to be treated as per the
â€˜The Hazardous Waste Management Rules, 2003â€™, the corporation sources added.
With no stringent rules to stop import and dumping of e-waste and municipal garbage in India from abroad, the country seems to be turning into an
easy dump yard of rubbish from other countries. This poses a major health hazard to the people.
Be the first to comment
Dri'S Drive Against E-Waste

August 23, 2010

Chennai, Aug. 20 -- The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has launched a drive against e-waste imported in the guise of used computers and
monitors through the Chennai Port by registering cases against importers. A DRI press release here today said it took up scrutiny of five consignments
containing eight containers and found them to be containing very old and used computer monitors, CPUs and processors, some even in broken
condition. The chartered engineers who examined the consignments said in their reports the goods were non-functional and even reusable items
required etensive refurbishing, which would result in the generation of huge amount of e-waste. The DRI has registered cases against the importers
for violations of the provisions of Customs Act, 1962 with Hazardous Waste (Management, Handling and Transboundary Movement) Rules 2008. In
four cases, notices had already been issued to the importers concerned. Published by HT Syndication with permission from United News of India. For
any query with respect to this article or any other content requirement, please contact Editor at htsyndication@hindustantimes.com
E-waste consignment seized at Chennai port, 5th in 3 months
9 of 40 04-12-2010 19:33

August 22, 2010
K Praveen Kumar
CHENNAI: The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) on Thursday detected the fifth case of e-waste dumping in Chennai. On a tip-off, DRI
intercepted a container full of old computer parts, imported from Brunei, at the Container Corporation of India godown at Tondiarpet.
In the last two months, DRI has intercepted five such consignments in Chennai and seized more than 127 tonnes of e-waste, which if dumped could
pose serious health hazards to the public and damage to the environment through nickel, mercury and lead poisoning.
DRI officials said Chennai had become a dumping ground for e-waste from Australia, Korea, Canada and Brunei, where the cost of disposal and
recycling is high. Many of these countries export their waste to developing countries in connivance with importers. This is then sold to small
industries, which extract metals from the waste and dump the hazardous parts.
Late on Thursday, DRI sleuths intercepted a consignment marked for Venus Metals, Nanganallur, from Brunei. The consignment was declared as
'switch board scrap'. On examination, officials found that the container had 166 used computer monitors, circuit boards, 89 control panels, loose
electrical motor parts, broken computer printers and keyboards.
As per rules, the import of e-waste and electrical waste are covered under the Hazardous Waste (Management, Handling and Transboundary
Movement) Rules, 2008. Their import can be made only with the permission of the ministry of environment and health in addition to a licence from
the Director-General of Foreign Trade. None of the five cases detected in Chennai had the relevant papers.
"The chartered engineers, who examined the consignments, reported that they contained goods which were non-functional. Even those which are
reusable require extensive refurbishing, which would result in heavy e-waste generation,” DRI additional director general C Rajan said.
India : DRI detects e-waste dumping in Chennai

Publication: Tenders Info
Provider: Al Bawaba
August 22, 2010

The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) was able be seize a consignment of unauthorized e-waste in Chennai. In the fifth such case of illegal
e-waste dumping in three months, the authorities found a container full of old computer parts, imported from Brunei at Tondiarpet. A large number of
computer monitors were found to be more than ten years old and were obviously meant for recycling. The DRI officials intercepted a consignment
marked for Venus Metals, Nanganallur, from Brunei on Thursday and market it as scrap. The import of e-waste and electrical waste is under the
purview of the Hazardous Waste Rules, 2008. Imports of such material should be only after permission from the ministry of environment and health
and a license from the Director-General of Foreign Trade has been received.
India : DRI detects e-waste dumping in Chennai

Provider: Al Bawaba
August 22, 2010

The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) was able be seize a consignment of unauthorized e-waste in Chennai. In the fifth such case of illegal
e-waste dumping in three months, the authorities found a container full of old computer parts, imported from Brunei at Tondiarpet. A large number of
computer monitors were found to be more than ten years old and were obviously meant for recycling. The DRI officials intercepted a consignment
marked for Venus Metals, Nanganallur, from Brunei on Thursday and market it as scrap. The import of e-waste and electrical waste is under the
purview of the Hazardous Waste Rules, 2008. Imports of such material should be only after permission from the ministry of environment and health
and a license from the Director-General of Foreign Trade has been received.
127 tonnes of imported e-waste seized

Publication: Hindu
August 21, 2010
Special Correspondent
CHENNAI: Officials of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), Chennai, seized 127 tonnes of e-waste imported from four foreign countries
from a container terminal here.
C. Rajan, Additional Director General, DRI, Chennai, said they received specific information that electrical and electronic wastes were imported
under the pretext of used computers through Chennai port. Following the information five consignments covering eight containers with goods were
taken up for scrutiny. Of the total consignments, one each was imported from Australia, Brunei and Canada and two from Korea.
Examination of goods in the containers revealed the presence of computer monitors, CPUs and processors, which were found to be very old, used
10 of 40 04-12-2010 19:33
and appeared to be in an unusable condition. A large number of the computer monitors were found to be more than 10 years old, which were meant
for recycling, Mr. Rajan said.
Hazardous waste
The import of electrical and electronic waste are covered under Hazardous Waste (Management, Handling and Trans-boundary Movement) Rules
2008 and it would be allowed only with permission from the Ministries of Environment and Health besides a licence from the Director General of
Foreign Trade. In the cases taken up for investigation, the importers were not in possession of the required permission, Mr. Rajan said.
The DRI has registered cases against the importers. In four cases notices have already been issued to the importers. The seized goods would be
re-exported to the country of origin after due process of adjudication, Mr. Rajan added.
The seized goods to be re-exported to the country of origin
Scheme on funding e-waste management

Publication: Business Standard
Provider: Business Standard
August 17, 2010

BS Reporter To promote setting up of adequate facilities to recycle electronic waste, the government had introduced a scheme to provide funding of
up to 25 per cent of the total project cost, subject to a matching contribution from the state government concerned, Environment Minister Jairam
ramesh said in the Rajya Sabha on Monday.
(AMM) GAO calls for national e-waste plan

August 16, 2010

18:43:00 (GMT)
A government agency is recommending consideration of a national approach to electronics recycling aided by a federal agency or implementation of
federal legislation following a report showing dismal U.S. e-cycling rates, with 75 to 80 percent of obsolete electronics ending up in landfills.
Low electronic recycling rates in the United States not only result in the loss of valuable resources, including metallics, they also can pose a health
hazard, according to the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) study entitled Electronic Waste: Considerations for Promoting
Environmentally Sound Reuse and Recycling.
"Electronic waste exports risk harming human health and the environment in countries that lack safe recycling and disposal capacity," the study said,
citing a 2008 study that determined that a substantial amount of exported e-waste ended up in countries that lack the capacity to safely recycle and
dispose of used electronics. Exports of e-waste remain largely unregulated, according to the GAO study.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which says that 75 to 80 percent of used electronics end up in landfills, is being credited with
stepping up enforcement of e-waste export requirements, helping to reduce the amount of lead unlawfully leaving the country in cathode ray tubes
(CRTs). But other electronic items, including cellular telephones, which can contain mercury, face no export scrutiny.
Similar efforts have been made by the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI), Washington, which earlier this year voted to adopt a policy that
urges members exporting e-scrap to ship the product to safe and responsible overseas processors. ISRI`s policy also calls for safe and responsible
recycling of e-scrap in the United States, although it has drawn a salvo of fire from Basel Action Network (BAN), based in Seattle (AMM, April 6).
On the domestic front, the EPA regulates the management of e-waste and promotes voluntary efforts, but initiatives are being done at a state level
rather than any federal-level programs. The GAO is recommending further examination of how the EPA can take a larger role.
The United States generated 3.01 million tons of e-waste in 2007, the latest data available. Of this, only 13.6 percent (410,000 tons) was recycled, the
Electronics TakeBack Coalition says on its Web site, citing federal EPA data. The rest went to landfills or incinerators. The San Francisco-based
coalition said that 2.6 million tons of e-waste were generated nationally in 2005, of which about 12.6 percent was recycled.
To ensure proper disposal of e-waste, the GAO is recommending that the subject be tackled in state recycling programs or via the establishment of
federal standards through new legislation.
On the state level, recycling continues to gain popularity. As of June, 23 states had enacted some type of electronics recycling legislation, such as
banning some electronics from landfills or funding voluntary recycling efforts. Other states are considering legislation or have established
commissions to study options to manage used electronics.
But growing rivalry between competing e-cycling norms?namely the Responsible Recycling (R2) standards fostered by the EPA vs. the better-
publicized efforts by advocates of E-stewards, backed by BAN?underscores the need to adopt standards on a national rather than state level (AMM,
July 10).
E-waste management project launched
11 of 40 04-12-2010 19:33
Publication: Hindu
August 16, 2010
Amruta Byatnal
Aims to bridge gap in e-waste management between formal and informal sectors
Pune: The Mumbai-Pune corridor may be the hot spot for investors. It is also the highest producer of India's electronic waste.
About one third of India's electronic waste is generated in this region. A stakeholders' consultation on e-waste management was conducted in Pune
over the weekend to address the issue.
The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC); Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC); Mahratta Chamber of Commerce, Industry and
Agriculture (MCCIA), Janvani; Kagad Kach Patra Kashtakari Panchayat (KKPKP); and German Technical Cooperation (GTZ)-Advisory Services in
Environmental Management (ASEM) came together to share ideas and solutions on the issue.
Need for legislative framework
Director of GTZ-ASEM Dr. Juergen Bischoff threw light on the current context of e-waste in India as well as internationally, and expressed the need
for a dedicated legislative framework for Electronic Waste Management in India.
He also shared how GTZ has been working towards finding solutions to the problem of e-waste through city-level interventions and policy dialogues.
`Trilemma'
,,We live in a `trilemma', and not dilemma, between achieving inclusive growth, depleting resources and deteriorating environmental situation.
Reusing waste forms a big aspect of the solution to this," he said.
Executive Director General of MCCIA Anant Sardeshmukh stated the challenges faced by the industry while designing and implementing e-waste
management systems. Greenpeace India campaigner Abhishek Pratap explicitly stated the need for the placing of Extended Producer Responsibility
on the shoulders of manufacturers of Electronic and Electrical Equipments (EEE). Ms. Lakshmi Narayan of KKPKP spoke about the important role
that the informal sector plays in the recycling of electronic waste.
New programme
Dr. H.M. Modak, a consultant for Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), recognised the need to identify stakeholders and ensure their protection as
well. He announced PMC's programme for reducing e-waste ? the Rochem Concord Blue ? which will deal with 700 metric tonnes of waste
everyday.
The event also witnessed the launch of a new project on e-waste management by GTZ. Technical Manager of GTZ-ASEM, Dr. Ashish Chaturvedi
shared the project objectives which offer a platform for bridging the gap in e-waste management between the formal and informal sector.
The proposed action under this project aims at improving the situation of e-waste management in Pune, Pimpri and Chinchwad by involving informal
sector associations, generators, and recyclers in setting up a channelisation mechanism in the waste management system.
Recycling e-waste is the need of the hour

Publication: Hindu
August 16, 2010
Staff Correspondent
Pune: The Mumbai-Pune corridor produces one third of India's electronic waste. A stakeholders' consultation on e-waste management was conducted
in Pune to address the issue.
The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC), Mahratta Chamber of Commerce, Industry and
Agriculture (MCCIA), Janvani, Kagad Kach Patra Kashtakari Panchayat (KKPKP), and German Technical Cooperation (GTZ)-Advisory Services in
Environmental Management (ASEM) shared ideas on the issue.
Director of GTZ-ASEM Juergen Bischoff expressed the need for a legislation for electronic waste management in India. He said the GTZ had been
working towards finding solutions to the problem of e-waste through city-level interventions and policy dialogues. ,,We live in a `trilemma', and not
dilemma, between achieving inclusive growth, depleting resources and deteriorating environmental situation. Recyclying waste forms a big aspect of
the solution to this," he said.
Greenpeace India campaigner Abhishek Pratap stated the need for the placing of Extended Producer Responsibility on the shoulders of
manufacturers of electronic and electrical equipment (EEE).
H.M. Modak, a consultant working for the Pune Municipal Corporation said that a project has been launched under which 700 metric tonnes of waste
in Pune would be recycled every day.
The GTZ launched a new project on e-waste management on the occasion.
Technical Manager of GTZ-ASEM Ashish Chaturvedi spoke on the objectives that the project proposes to realise. One of the main objectives is to
12 of 40 04-12-2010 19:33
bridge the gap in e-waste management between the formal and informal sector. The project is aimed at improving e-waste management in Pune,
Pimpri and Chinchwad.
The Global e-waste Dumping Ground?

Publication: DQ Channels
Provider: Cyber Media India Ltd.
August 15, 2010
Unless action is taken immediately to properly collect and recycle materials, many developing countries will face the specter of hazardous e-waste
mountains with serious consequences regarding the environment and public health
Everyone is so lost in the urban rat race that we all have forgotten the world around us. We never stop and think about what we are giving back to the
earth other than the increased carbon footprints and e-wastes. We have all the bad things to highlight if we start analyzingfrom carbon emissions to
e-wastes.
According to a UN report, India is the second largest e-waste generator in Asia. Unless action is taken immediately to properly collect and recycle
materials, many developing countries will face the specter of hazardous e-waste mountains with serious consequences regarding the environment and
public health, the report warns. In the year 2009, India generated 5.9 million tonnes of hazardous waste, posing serious health issues.
The UN study says that by 2020, e-wastes from old computers would jump by 500 percent from the 2007 levels in India, and by 200 percent to 400
percent in South Africa and China. The e-wastes from old mobile phones will be seven times higher in China and eighteen times higher in India.
A recent report by the Delhi-based Center for Science and Environment (CSE) says that apart from generating about 3,50,000 tonnes of electronic
waste every year, India imports another 50,000 tonnes. The study alleges that the unorganized sector recycles more than 90 percent of this; and
instead of organizing this sector, government chooses to ignore it.
The organization also says that Attero Recycling which has the only license in India to import e-wasteis reselling e-waste instead of recycling it. It is
illegally trading e-waste, and such illegal trade results in huge pollution in the industry. As per the data, India generated 3,30,000 tonnes of e-waste in
2007 which is equal to 110 million laptops. About 10 percent of the e-waste generated is recycled every year;
the remaining is refurbished, and the unorganized sector is right behind almost all of it. Informal dealers refurbish and make money from e-waste.
According to CSE, the governments new draft rules with regard to waste management ignore the reality and are likely to be toothless. It is estimated
that illegal import of e-waste in the country stands at about 50,000 tonnes annually and loopholes in the laws facilitate this. "We need to think how
we can build a new model for waste managers. Instead of thinking about replacing small, cost effective garbage collectors with big business, we have
to think how policy can legalize, regulate and even pay for this trade to happen not out of sight, but under our noses," says Sunita Narain, Director,
CSE.
It is being reported that the free trade agreementscurrently being negotiated with the European Union and Japan include provisions for these countries
to dump their e-waste in India. If this trend continues, India will soon become dumping ground for the global e-waste. Its our duty to prevent such a
global disaster.
(Source: DQ)
E-waste management project launched

Publication: Hindu
August 15, 2010
Amruta Byatnal
Pune: The Mumbai-Pune corridor may be the hot spot for investors. It is also the highest producer of India's electronic waste.
About one third of India's electronic waste is generated in this region. A stakeholders' consultation on e-waste management was conducted in Pune on
Friday to address the issue.
13 of 40 04-12-2010 19:33
The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC); Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC); Mahratta Chamber of Commerce, Industry and
Agriculture (MCCIA), Janvani; Kagad Kach Patra Kashtakari Panchayat (KKPKP); and German Technical Cooperation (GTZ)-Advisory Services in
Environmental Management (ASEM) came together to share ideas and solutions on the issue.
Director of GTZ-ASEM Dr. Juergen Bischoff threw light on the current context of e-waste in India as well as internationally, and expressed the need
for a dedicated legislative framework for Electronic Waste Management in India.
He also shared how GTZ has been working towards finding solutions to the problem of e-waste through city-level interventions and policy dialogues.
,,We live in a `trilemma', and not dilemma, between achieving inclusive growth, depleting resources and deteriorating environmental situation.
Reusing waste forms a big aspect of the solution to this," he said.
Executive Director General of MCCIA Anant Sardeshmukh stated the challenges faced by the industry while designing and implementing e-waste
management systems. Greenpeace India campaigner Abhishek Pratap explicitly stated the need for the placing of Extended Producer Responsibility
on the shoulders of manufacturers of Electronic and Electrical Equipments (EEE). Ms. Lakshmi Narayan of KKPKP spoke about the important role
that the informal sector plays in the recycling of electronic waste.
Dr. H.M. Modak, a consultant for Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), recognised the need to identify stakeholders and ensure their protection as
well.
He announced PMC's programme for reducing e-waste ? the Rochem Concord Blue ? which will deal with 700 metric tonnes of waste everyday.
The event also witnessed the launch of a new project on e-waste management by GTZ. Technical Manager of GTZ-ASEM, Dr. Ashish Chaturvedi
shared the project objectives which offer a platform for bridging the gap in e-waste management between the formal and informal sector. The
proposed action under this project aims at improving the situation of e-waste management in Pune, Pimpri and Chinchwad by involving informal
sector associations, generators, and recyclers in setting up a channelisation mechanism in the waste management system.
Reusing an essential part of e-waste management solution
Pune programme will deal with 700 metric tonnes of e-waste everyday
Metros show Pune how to handle e-waste

August 14, 2010
Manish Umbrajkar
PUNE: After Delhi, Bangalore and Kolkata where initiatives have been launched for management of electronic waste through a collective effort of
the stakeholders, Pune may well be the next city where a similar plan will materialise.
The project aims at establishing e-waste channels to promote environment-friendly recycling to reduce pollution caused due to recycling of waste in
the unorganised sector.
The final touches are being given and the stakeholders would be Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad municipal corporations, Maharashtra Pollution Control
Board, NGOs, ragpickers' organisations and industries manufacturing electronic goods.
The issues related to e-waste management came to the fore on Friday at a stakeholders' consultation on electronic waste management organised by
the Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad civic bodies, the Mahratta Chamber of Commerce Industries and Agriculture, Janwani, and GTZ.
GTZ's technical manager Ashish Chaturvedi said informal sector associations would be encouraged to collect and manage a fraction of the e-waste in
an environment-friendly manner. Efforts would also be made to establish cooperation models between the formal and the informal sectors dealing
with e-waste.
The capacity for environmentally sound e-waste recycling among the workers in the informal sector would also be improved, he said. It would bring
better effort in the informal recycling sector and help large corporations and stakeholders implement the central government's recommendations on
e-waste management.
The target groups will be manufacturers of IT equipment, small and medium-scale enterprises involved in recycling, and the formal sector recycling
units. The initiative is referred to as Weee recycle' that will establish e-waste channels to enhance environment friendly recycling.
The objective is to improve the living standards in urban centres and support the implementation of the national environment policy, specifying the
polluter pays' principle, and having a clear role for the involvement of the informal sector in e-waste management, he said.
The e-waste management initiative has been most successful in Bangalore where it was launched in 2006. Delhi came next, Chaturvedi said. There is
increased awareness, research and development activities related to e-waste management in these cities.
In Bangalore, three informal sector associations have been formed and a formal recycler has also been established. In Delhi, a core group came up
with the draft of the e-waste management and handling rules. An association has been formed for e-waste management in Delhi while there has been
capacity building at various levels, Chaturvedi added. "One of the challenges was setting up collection mechanisms for the e-waste in urban areas,
and integration of the informal and formal e-waste collection channels," he added.
MMRDA will invite bids for e-waste plant
14 of 40 04-12-2010 19:33

August 10, 2010
ASHLEY D'MELLO
MUMBAI: The growing problem of e-waste (discarded electrical and electronic equipment) is finally being tackled. A special site for reprocessing
over 11,000 tonne of e-waste generated by the city is being planned in the distant suburbs.
Studies show that the processing of e-waste in the city, done by hundreds of small establishments, is leading to emission of hazardous dioxins and
heavy metals. The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), which has conducted a survey of the trade, said the
reprocessing is done in various parts of the city and people are exposed to these pollutants.
The main areas for reprocessing are Saki Naka, Safed and Wire Lane in Andheri, Dharavi and Shastri Nagar in Mahim, Sonarpur in Grant Road, Don
Taki in Kamathipura, Kurla, Lamington Road and Mankhurd.
"We will use scientific methods to recycle e-waste. This will generate income as well as keep the hazardous pollutants our of the air and water in the
city,'' said MMRDA joint project director Dilip Kawathkar.
Kawathkar said that bids for the reprocessing plant will be called in September and the work should be underway before the end of the year.
India : MMRDA to manage E-Waste on PPP basis

Provider: Al Bawaba
August 8, 2010
Growth and harmony should walk hand-in-hand, they say. However, seldom do they appear synchronized. While our generation is enjoying the
growth of electronic industry and celebrating the minute-to-minute innovation in the form of newer and newer range of products, we are losing sight
of the consequent hazards that endanger environment. The growth should and must be proportionate to the environmental demands. But, the efforts
to maintain this balance and control the damage are only scanty and unorganized. Well aware of this, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development
Authority (MMRDA) has taken up the mantle to manage e-waste that is endangering environment today. The Authority has planned to engage only
qualified e-waste service providers to process, treat and dispose of the e-waste to safeguard environment and human life in the most scientific way.
The land requirement for this facility is 4 Hectares to take care of present and increasing growth for future, which is also considered at the initial
stage. A plot of land is reserved for the Green Belt around the project and the Authority has identified five sites for the same.
Awareness drive on e-waste handling

August 8, 2010
The administration is yet to take concrete steps to tackle the problem of tones of e-waste generated in city. With no clear policy on how to deal with
the problem, the science and technology department has decided to launch an awareness drive so that people hand over non-disposable waste to
authorized dealers only. "There is no idea about the amount of e-waste generated in city as it includes small household items like electronic toys,
pencil cells as well, which find their way to dustbins," said an official. tnn
India : Mumbai calls for e-waste tenders

Provider: Al Bawaba
August 4, 2010
The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) is all set to invite tenders for the e-waste processing plant within the
metropolitan region, reports Indian Express. The authority has shortlisted five sites for the processing unit at either Taloja or Vasai. To be set up on a
public-private partnership model, the plant will have comprehensive facilities to collect, transport and recover precious metals from e-waste and for
safe treatment. The MMRDA is in the process of preparing the bid documents. Pennsylvania taxpayers are supplying a development authority with
$16.8 million to go towards investment in green energy technologies, states The Bulletin. The Ben Franklin Technology Development Authority
redirects taxpayer money from the state's general fund budget to give resources to private industries and entrepreneurs, with a specific focus on
subsidising the development of green energy technologies. Founded in 1983 and funded as a line item in the Department of Community and
Economic Development budget, taxpayers have supplied more than $200 million since 2005 to support research and development of new
technologies and to cover business incubation costs.
India : India E-Waste generation to increase by 2012 to about 8.0 lakh
15 of 40 04-12-2010 19:33
MT by 2012
Provider: Al Bawaba
August 2, 2010
The projected e-waste generation in India is expected to increase to about 8.0 lakh MT by 2012. As per the survey by the Central Pollution Control
Board (CPCB), it is estimated that about 1.47 lakh MT of e-waste was generated in 2005. The Inventory Assessment Manual of United Nations
Environment Programme (UNEP) in 2007, estimated that e-waste generation in European Union is about 14 to 15 kg per capita per annum. In
countries like India, annual generation per capita is less than 1 kg. The E-waste disposal practices in Western countries are based on Extended
Producer Responsibility (EPR) concept. Indian Ministry of Environment and Forests has notified the Hazardous Wastes (Management, Handling and
Transboundary Movement) Rules, 2008 for proper management and handling of hazardous wastes, which include e-waste. Units handling e-waste are
required to register with CPCB. The waste generated is required to be sent or sold to a registered or authorized recycler or re-processor or re-user
having environmentally sound facilities for recovery of metals, plastics, etc.
India : MMRDA to float tenders for e-waste processing plant soon

Provider: Al Bawaba
August 2, 2010
The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) is all set to invite tenders for the electronic waste (e-waste) processing plant
within the metropolitan region. The authority has shortlisted five sites for the processing unit at either Taloja or Vasai. To be set up on a public-private
partnership model, the plant will have comprehensive facilities to collect, transport and recover precious metals from e-waste and for safe treatment.
The MMRDA is in the process of preparing the bid documents. A transaction advisor will be appointed soon after which the tenders will be floated in
around a month s time, said M R Shah, principal advisor, Solid Waste Management Cell, MMRDA. The authority has shortlisted four plots in Taloja
and one in Vasai. Through the bids, it may also allow private players to choose the plot for the processing unit. There will be only one plot for the unit,
but we will give options to the interested players to choose from the five locations, added Shah. Shah, a former chief engineer with the BMC s solid
waste management department, said the project, barring the land component, is estimated to cost Rs 80 crore.
,,Cloud computing will be solution to e-waste"

Publication: Hindu
August 1, 2010
Association of Department of Computer Science and Engineering & Information Technology inaugurated at college
? VELLORE: Cloud computing, which envisages conversion of hardware into software, and sharing of computer resources and provision of
information technology (IT) services through a drastic reduction in the use of hardware, would be the solution to the problem posed by the
accumulation of e-waste, said V. Ramachandran, professor, Department of Information Science and Technology, Anna University.
He was inaugurating the Association of the Department of Computer Science and Engineering (CSE) & Information Technology at Kingston
Engineering College (KEC) at Christianpet near here on Saturday. Mr. Ramachandran said that device independency had come into effect because of
the need to safeguard the globe from e-waste. With each engineering college in the State having 300 computers, there would be about 1.5 lakh
computers in the nearly 500 engineering colleges in Tamil Nadu. Within three years, these computers would become obsolete and would have to be
replaced. The disposal of accumulating obsolete computers has posed a serious environmental problem.
Mr. Ramachandran said that the calculator which was widely used about a decade ago had become redundant today as it was inbuilt in cellphone.
Today, there is no need even for a computer keyboard as the keyboard had come as software embedded in a hand-held Internet-enabled cellphone or
other IT device. Research was being carried on the world over to simulate the computer hardware as software in such a way that one computer server
could host hundreds of machines as software, thus reducing the number of computers used by the people. This would lead to effective place
management and e-waste management, he said, and called upon the CSE/IT students to focus on studies related to conversion of hardware into
software. CSE/IT would play a vital role in the development of green engineering and science. ,,You have to develop your skills to meet the needs of
the industry," he said.
Mr. Ramachandran urged them to constantly update their knowledge on CSE/IT in view of the quick obsolescence of knowledge in these fields. He
advised them to avoid relying merely on the university-prescribed textbooks, which contained only a certain set of questions and answers. The
practice of students concentrating only on the questions and answers available in the textbooks was not conducive to effective and proper learning of
the subject. ,,You should learn by doing things," he said.
Pointing out that the IT sector had picked up after a recent slowdown, Mr. Ramachandran said that out of 1.75 lakh students likely to be admitted to
509 engineering colleges in the State - including 42 new colleges on completion of the ongoing counselling process - one lakh students would be
admitted in the circuit branches comprising CSE/IT, Electronics and Communication Engineering (ECE), Electrical and Electronics Engineering
(EEE) and Electronics and Instrumentation Engineering in view of the students' preference to these branches. Of these one lakh students, 60,000
would be admitted to CSE and IT alone. The reason for this was the skill development that had taken place in the engineering colleges in these
branches. Employability, and not employment, was the criterion for software engineers, he said.
Mr. Ramachandran said that the number of qualified technical teachers was not commensurate with the number of colleges that had sprung up. As
against the requirement of 25,000 qualified teachers in the circuit branches in the engineering colleges, there were only 3000 qualified teachers.
16 of 40 04-12-2010 19:33
Almost 95 per cent of these qualified teachers were in the age group of 30 to 35. ,,It is hard to find teachers in the 35-55 age group in engineering
colleges," he said.
Later, Mr. Ramachandran delivered a special lecture on `Distributed service models.'
G. Baskar, Principal, KEC, said that B.E. Civil Engineering would be started in KEC from the current academic year. The college was awaiting the
approval of the All India Council for Technical Education. The intake in ECE is likely to be doubled from 60 to 120. The college, at present, offered
B.E. in CSE, IT, ECE, EEE and Mechanical Engineering and MBA, he said. Chitra, Head of the Department of CSE & IT, welcomed the gathering.
Students urged to focus on studies related to conversion of hardware into software
,,Stop relying merely on university-prescribed textbooks"
Firms to abide by e-waste rules

July 31, 2010
BANGALORE: The city seems to have woken up and realized the importance of e-waste. Industries in Bangalore are willing to do their bit in the
e-waste sector.
"There are things we can easily do. Little steps as to how we dispose of our e-waste. If they are not properly disposed of, then they get mixed up with
common waste. Rag pickers pick them up and risk their health," said Meera Saksena, additional chief secretary, environment.
As new rules on e-waste management will be notified shortly by ministry of environment and forests and government of India, industries in
Bangalore, who are generating e-waste are geared up to comply with it.
"E-waste produces organic polluters which create toxic chemicals, contaminate soil, water and is a threat to living forms. The volume of e-waste is
growing at 3 to 5% a year," said S Sadashivaiah, chairman, KSPCB, at a sensitization programme for industries on Thursday.
Several training programmes on how to reduce toxic substances in electronic products, cleaner production, energy conservation and other
environment-friendly approach will be undertaken through this project.
"More than 80% of e-waste is in the hand of informal collectors. Only 10% are collected. The informal sector collects e-waste and burns some of it,
which pollutes our environment. Our task is to bring informal sector to formal ways," added Sadashivaiah. The industries are planning to put up
e-waste bins in their offices to deposit old batteries, chargers and send them to e-Parisara for recycling.
Board launches e-waste sensitisation

Publication: Hindu
July 30, 2010
Staff Reporter
BANGALORE: Even as the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests is poised to notify rules on electronic waste (e-waste) management, the
Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) has launched its sensitisation and awareness drive. At a programme held here on Thursday aimed
at creating awareness on practices related to collection and handling of e-waste, debating on various recycling technologies and informing
stakeholders about the ,,extended producer responsibility" stipulated in the new rules.
KSPCB chairperson A.S. Sadashivaiah said even today 90 per cent of e-waste was collected and disposed of by the informal sector. ,,Metals such as
lead and cadmium found in electronic appliances have contaminated more than 50 per cent of Bangalore's groundwater reserves. Our collection,
recycling and reusing techniques have to be streamlined before the environment is affected." Looking ahead at feasible solutions to solve this
problem, Dr. Parthasarathy, director, e-Parisara, said: ,,Small-scale industries can play a proactive role in waste collection and segregation by pooling
their wastes and dispatching them to recycling centres. Emulating the segregation practices in developed countries, we should have different colour
coded dustbins, each dealing with the collection of a particular kind of waste."
Industries to embrace e-waste rule

July 29, 2010

BANGALORE, July 29 -- City-based industrial associations are gearing up to comply with the new rule on e-waste management, which is soon to be
notified by the ministry of environment and forests.
About eight industrial associations will sign a pledge on Thursday, committing to manage e-waste in an environmentally sound manner.
17 of 40 04-12-2010 19:33
The draft rule lays emphasis on Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), which says the industries that manufacture electrical and electronic
equipment have the onus to manage the waste generated at the end of the life of these products.
Sensitisation and awareness programme on collecting and handling e-waste is being organised jointly by HAWA GTZ, Karnataka State Pollution
Control Board and industrial associations eMerg and CLIK on Thursday.
Bangalore, which generates about 4,000 tonnes of e-waste every year, has more than 2,000 electronic and electrical equipment manufacturing
industries. Published by HT Syndication with permission from New Indian Express. For any query with respect to this article or any other content
requirement, please contact Editor at htsyndication@hindustantimes.com
E-waste recyclers urged to work in clusters

Publication: Hindu
July 23, 2010
Staff Reporter
BANGALORE: Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) Chairman A.S. Sadashivaiah on Thursday urged e-waste recyclers in the informal
sector to take the cooperative union path for better recycling of waste as well as to improve their revenue.
Speaking at the opening of Eco Birdd Recycling Company Pvt. Ltd. here, Mr. Sadashivaiah said the informal sector should take a cue from the
success saga of milk unions in the State. The board, he said, would extend support to such ventures.
Mr. Sadashivaiah also complimented the efforts of Rizwan Khan, Managing Director of Eco Birdd, for his initiative in setting up a sophisticated
e-waste recycling unit.
In his inaugural address, Adviser to the Chief Minister A. Ravindra congratulated the company for distinguishing itself by moving from the informal
sector to the formal one.
Manohar, Zonal Officer of the Central Pollution Control Board noted that the Eco Birdd is the first authorised e-waste recycling plant in Karnataka
and appreciated the efforts of the promoters.
Mr. Khan told The Hindu after the opening ceremony that the unit undertakes dismantling, refurbishing, reusing and recycling of the e-waste. The
plant has a capacity of handling about 350 tonnes of e-waste a month, he said.
Separator
While metal parts in the e-waste will be removed and melted, the silicon waste will be sent to KSPCB authorised centres, Mr. Khan said.
He noted that the unit scientifically disposes off toxic metals, biologically active material, acids and plastic during the recycling process. The Eco
Birdd is a cluster of recyclers who joined hands to get into the formal way of recycling e-waste.
The Eco Birdd has its plant at Azeez Sait Industrial Estate in Nayandahalli and can be contacted on Ph: 2274822; email - ecobirdd@gmail.com and
on www.ecobirddrecycling.com.
The unit dismantles, refurbishes, reuses, recycles e-waste
It can handle 350 tonnes of e-waste a month
Piles of e-waste posing health hazard

July 23, 2010
Prithvijit Mitra
KOLKATA: Electronic waste has been flooding Kolkata and could soon cross the 10,000 tonne mark, according to a survey. It says that the volume
of e-waste has been rising at the rate of nearly 5% since 2006 and no effort has been taken to curb the menace or ensure safe discharge of the waste.
Rejected computers, it says, comprises nearly a third of the trash and poses a major health hazard, for they are made up of heavy metals that are
being littered on city streets.
Three thousand tonnes of central processing units (CPU), keyboards and monitors are thrown away and end up at second-hand computer stores
where they are recycled. While some portions are rejected, the rest are retained. Domestic appliances like refrigerators, TVs, DVDs, MP3 players,
washing machines, compact discs, cell phones, CFL bulbs and iPods comprise the other 6,000 tonne, says a survey by Saviours and Friends of
Environment (SAFE), a green NGO.
While 50% of this gigantic volume of waste is ferrous mixed with heavy metals, 21% is plastic and 13% is non-ferrous. CPUs and circuit boards of
most electronic gadgets generate heavy metals like cadmium, gelium and silicon.
CFL bulbs contain mercury. In addition, CPUs have gold which is often extracted by melting down the plastic casing in open air. "This is a double
blow for the environment. On the one hand, heavy metals are being released, and on the other, toxic fumes are being emitted. Tonnes of these
18 of 40 04-12-2010 19:33
harmful metals are being dumped everyday at places like Topsia, Kasba and Park Circus," said Sudipto Bhattacharya of SAFE.
While 70% of the e-waste is produced by commercial establishments, the rest is generated from the domestic set-up. The survey reveals that it is the
middle income group (MIG) that is responsible in a big way. An average MIG unit generates 20 kg of e-waste annually. "Considering the number of
MIG families we have in Kolkata and its surroundings, this is a huge amount. Only a proper disposal system can help to nullify the ill-effects of this
harmful discharge. The worrying aspect is the fact that this volume will rise sharply as electronic goods turn cheaper," added Bhattacharya.
The survey also reveals that less than 20% of electronic goods priced below Rs 20,000 are hardly sent for repairs. "With technology being upgraded
every year, consumers now prefer to buy a new one than get an old, dated gadget repaired. This is adding to the volume of the waste at a furious
pace," said Bhattacharya. Black-and-white TV sets, washing machines, computer monitors, printers and refrigerators comprise the bulk of domestic
e-waste.
Green activist Subhas Datta warns that e-waste would lead to a crisis if efforts were not made to segregate it from other trash. "Like bio-medical
waste, it needs to be separated at source. Now, it is being dumped at Dhapa which is not safe. We need to evolve a system of carrying it to a separate
dumping ground and either destroy or recycle it. But we need to act fast or else the situation will spin out of control," said Datta.
Mobile phones adding to e-waste

Publication: Hindu
July 9, 2010
R. Ramabhadran Pillai
Nearly 20 phones are discarded in Kochi every day
KOCHI: With mobile phones becoming gadgets of mass use, their numbers have swelled in the market. The number of old phones being discarded too
is on the rise. More than 20 old cellular phones are abandoned by the users in Kochi every day, according to moderate estimates.
New-age technologies introduced by competing manufacturing entities had brought a sea change in the cellular phone segment. The affordability of
latest versions has resulted in the number of old phones being discarded. In fact, mobile phones are becoming outdated faster than commodities such
as televisions and washing machines.
Fashion too has a part to play in the fast changing mode of cellular transformation.
Youngsters are always on the lookout for trendy ones and they are tempted to change the gadgets more often.
About 2,000 units of old mobile phones were despatched from Kochi to the e-waste management centre of a well known international cellular phone
manufacturing company in New Delhi, during a three-month period recently, as part of a regular recycling plan, according to Algiers Khalid,
president of the Kerala chapter of Indian Cellular Association.
Recycling
Mr. Khalid, who is also the proprietor of a distribution chain of FMCGs, said the old phones are brought by consumers for disposal at the outlets of
Nokia and they are despatched to the recycling centre in New Delhi.
The parts which contain toxic elements such as nickel, cadmium and mercury are removed from the mobile phone units and the other parts are
recycled to make items such as children's toys. The company has a scheme to plant a tree per unit of old phones which are recycled. The customers
are given coupons or vouchers to download music, as part of a recycling campaign, he said.
While old mobile phone sets, batteries and chargers could be brought to the stipulated outlets, there are many people who might be throwing away the
dead phones which pose environmental problems.
India: The global e-waste dumping ground?

Publication: Data Quest
Provider: Cyber Media India Ltd.
June 30, 2010
Keywords: e-waste, Sunita Narain, CSE, Attero Recycling, e-waste generator, Center for Science and Environment
Everyone is so lost in the urban rat race that we all have forgotten the world around us. We never stop and think about what we are giving back to the
earth other than the increased carbon footprints and e-wastes. We have all the bad things to highlight if we start analyzing—from carbon emissions to
e-wastes.
According to a UN report, India is the second largest e-waste generator in Asia. Unless action is taken immediately to properly collect and recycle
materials, many developing countries will face the specter of hazardous e-waste mountains with serious consequences regarding the environment and
public health, the report warns. In the year 2009, India generated 5.9 mn tonnes of hazardous waste, posing serious health issues.
The UN study says that by 2020, e-wastes from old computers would jump by 500% from the 2007 levels in India, and by 200% to 400% in South
19 of 40 04-12-2010 19:33
Africa and China. The e-wastes from old mobile phones will be seven times higher in China and eighteen times higher in India.
A recent report by the Delhi based Center for Science and Environment (CSE) says that apart from generating about 3,50,000 tonnes of electronic
waste every year, India imports another 50,000 tonnes. The study alleges that the unorganized sector recycles more than 90% of this; and instead of
organizing this sector, government chooses to ignore it.
The organization also says that Attero Recycling—which has the only license in India to import e-waste—is reselling e-waste instead of recycling it.
It is illegally trading e-waste, and such illegal trade results in huge pollution in the industry. As per the data, India generated 3,30,000 tonnes of
e-waste in 2007 which is equal to 110 mn laptops. About 10% of the e-waste generated is recycled every year; the remaining is refurbished, and the
unorganized sector is right behind almost all of it. Informal dealers refurbish and make money from e-waste.
According to CSE, the government’s new draft rules with regard to waste management ignore the reality and are likely to be toothless. It is estimated
that illegal import of e-waste in the country stands at about 50,000 tonnes annually and loopholes in the laws facilitate this. "We need to think how
we can build a new model for waste managers. Instead of thinking about replacing small, cost effective garbage collectors with big business, we have
to think how policy can legalize, regulate and even pay for this trade to happen not out of sight, but under our noses," says Sunita Narain, director,
CSE.
It is being reported that the free trade agreements—currently being negotiated with the European Union and Japan—include provisions for these
countries to dump their e-waste in India. If this trend continues, India will soon become dumping ground for the global e-waste. It’s our duty to
prevent such a global disaster.
CMN Correspondent
maildqindia@cybermedia.co.in
'E-waste must be treated on a war footing'

June 29, 2010
DAVANAGERE: Electronic waste is posing danger to environment and there is an urgent need for its recycling and disposal, said A S Sadashivaiah,
chairman of Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB).
He was addressing a gathering after inaugurating World Environment Day celebrations and the 60th annual conference of Association of
Occupational Health Karnataka (AOHK) at JJM Medical College here recently.
"Over 10,000 tonnes of electronic waste is being generated daily in the state. Bangalore alone contributes over 50% of electronic waste (e-waste). A
lot of toxic elements are being released to the environment. There is a severe threat to environment if the e-waste is not scientifically treated and
disposed off," he said, adding that there is a possibility to recover some precious metals like gold, silver, platinum from e-waste. KSPCB has signed
an MoU with a Belgium-based organization for recovering precious metals.
The KSPCB chief asked Davanagere DC P S Vastrad to impose a ban on the use of plastics less than 20 microns.
Davanagere MLA Shamanur Shivashankarappa inaugurated a training and research centre for occupational health under Bapuji Educational
Association here on the occasion. He said necessary money and man power will be extended for the welfare of the people working in various
industries.
AOHK president Dr Kanaka Rao, Dr Rajmohan, in-charge director of regional occupational health centre (Bangalore) and the members of AOHK
were present. Over 200 delegates from medical colleges and industries took part in the event.
Now, e-waste to help in destroying bacterial infections

Publication: Asia News International
June 25, 2010

Washington, June 25 -- Electronic waste, which can be an environmental hazard to the soil, has now been turned into an anti-microbial substance that
can help destroy bacterial infections. Researchers at the University of York's Department of Chemistry have found a way to turn electronic waste
from LCD screens into an anti-microbial substance that destroys infections such as Escherichia coli, some strains of Staphylococcus aureus and other
bacteria. A key element of LCD televisions is polyvinyl-alcohol (PVA), a chemical compound that is compatible with the human body, Discovery
News reported. Andrew Hunt and his colleagues had to cool and then heat PVA, dehydrate it with ethanol, and add a dash of silver nanoparticles to
20 of 40 04-12-2010 19:33
enhance the material's anti-microbial properties. The final product could be used in hospital cleaning solutions to help to reduce infections. According
to a York University press release, the product "could also be used in pills and dressings that are designed to deliver drugs to particular parts of the
body". But Hunt and his team have confessed that more work needs to be done. Regulatory agencies still must guarantee that silver nanoparticles are
suitable for human health applications. Published by HT Syndication with permission from Asian News International. For more information on news
feed please contact Sarabjit Jagirdar at htsyndication@hindustantimes.com
Old Tv Sets, Computers Form Bulk Of E-waste

June 10, 2010
Our Bureau
New Delhi, June 9
Televisions and computers account for a large chunk of the electronic waste generated in the country, according to a study sponsored by the
Department of Scientific and Industrial Research.
The study was conducted by the Electronics Industries Association of India (ELCINA).
It states that mobile phones account for less than half a per cent of the 3,82,979 tonnes of e-waste generated in the country in 2007-08.
Televisions accounted for 2.75 lakh tonnes of e-waste, while computers accounted for 56,000 tonnes. Of the total e-waste generated, less than half
(1.44 lakh tonnes) was available for recycling as the rest was stacked or not sold by consumers because of the inappropriate resale value.
Phones
The study revealed that the total units of mobile phones sold during 2007-08 stood at 9.3 crore and the compounded annual growth rate was 73 per
cent.
The obsolescence rate of mobile phones was estimated to be 1.8-2 years.
The Environment Ministry has notified the Hazardous Wastes (Management, Handling and Trans-boundary Movement) Rules, 2008, for proper
management and handling of hazardous wastes, including e-waste.
The units, handling e-waste, need to register with Central Pollution Control Board now.
At present, there are 14 dismantlers or recyclers registered with the Central Pollution Control Board.
The waste generated is required to be sent or sold to a registered or authorised recycler or re-processor or re-user having environmentally sound
facilities for recovery of metals and plastics.
Meet On Wimax, E-waste Management

Publication: Hindu
June 8, 2010
Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala State IT Mission, in association with the Centre for Development of Imaging Technology (C-DIT) and the Kerala
State Council for Science, Technology and Environment (KSCSTE), will organise a seminar on `Green Kerala - Smart Kerala' here on Tuesday.
The event is being organised as part of the National Technology Day 2010 celebrations. Law Minister M. Vijayakumar will inaugurate the day-long
seminar at Mascot Hotel.
WiMaX Technology and e-waste management are the two sessions of the seminar. WiMaX is a wireless digital communications system that can be
used for wireless networking in much the same way as the more common WiFi protocol.
The second-generation protocol, WiMaX, allows for more efficient bandwidth use, interference avoidance, and is intended to allow higher One of the
rapidly growing environmental problems of the world, electronic waste or e-waste refers to obsolete electronic devices like computers, servers,
calculators and scanners.
E-waste everywhere, not enough to treat

Publication: Business Standard
Provider: Business Standard
June 5, 2010
21 of 40 04-12-2010 19:33
KIRTIKA SUNEJA Roorkee (Uttar Pradesh) It's a bit of an obvious thing to do, but Attero Recycling has its plant in a green building. About 10
kilometres from Roorkee on the road to Dehradun, it is difficult to miss.
As we reach the gates, a security guard stops our car and says no vehicle can go in. As we enter on foot, the obvious gets accentuated.
The walls of the plant have boards that talk about the benefits of recycling and how the plant reuses everything, harvests rainwater and uses solar
lights. The 40-odd who work there wear green shirts on black trousers.
It’s a sprawling unit. Spread over 10,000 square metres, the plant can treat 36,000 tonnes of electronic waste a year. Given that this is the country's
only authorised end-to-end e-waste recycling outfit, not to mention the colour of the building and the boards, you would think that the plant is rattling
along at full steam. After all, India's e-waste generation is tipped to nudge half a million tonnes next year, up from 3,30,000 tonnes in 2007, according
to Manufacturers’ Association for Information Technology and the German government's sustainable development body GTZ. We also import about
50,000 tonnes every year.
Not quite, says Nitin Gupta, the company's chief executive officer.
There is simply not enough e-waste coming to Attero. Since becoming operational in November last year, it has treated only about 500 tonnes. “The
problem is collection of e-waste. Almost 98 per cent of the e-waste recycling is done in the unorganised sector. Lack of awareness is the main cause
of this,” he says.
The World Health Organisation defines e-waste as electronics and electrical goods which are not fit for their original intended use or have reached
the end of their life cycle. These include computers, servers, printers, scanners, calculators, battery cells, mobile phones, televisions and refrigerators.
E-waste contains 60 different types of metals. Almost 75 per cent of the e-waste is generated in the corporate sector mostly by information
technology companies. Attero collects it from kabaadiwallas, companies and individuals through a 24-hour helpline. For big items like washing
machines, the consumer pays Attero. For personal computers, Attero pays Rs 200 per unit to the consumer. But the helpline, although toll-free, gets a
mere 20 calls every month.
Seeded three years ago with Rs 25 crore from two venture capital firms, NEA-IndoUS Ventures and Draper Fisher Jurvetson, Attero earns its bread
by refurbishing and reselling computers. So far, it has sold 120 PCs for Rs 4,500 each. The buyers are mostly students.
We proceed to the area where three gigantic machines are at work.
Gupta's fingerprints act as biometric identification. The entire plant is under surveillance by close-circuit television. We are asked to wear protective
headgear with a tissue inside and earplugs. “We didn't use tissues earlier. However, when some officials from the United Nations visited us, they
refused to put on the helmets for hygiene reasons.” The first machine, which accumulates e-waste, has two persons throwing defunct CD-ROMs into
it. This matter then goes into the segregator for separating the usable from the non-usable. The non-usable goes into the shredder — the third machine
— where the ferrous and non-ferrous components are separated.
“We have tied up with Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee, for sample and efficiency testing of our processes at different stages. Two PhD
students do testing on a metallurgical and chemical basis every evening. The results come at night,” says Gupta. Will the students join Attero? “We
would like them to. We do need engineers here,” he says.
Gupta has pinned his hopes on the Union government's draft rules for managing, dismantling or recycling e-waste, called the E-waste (Management
and Handling) Rules, 2010. “With these rules, e-waste, which was till now included in the hazardous substances category, will be put into a separate
category. This definition is good for formal sector players who recycle e-waste,” says Ravi Agarwal, director, Toxics Link, a non-government
organisation working on hazardous waste.
The rules ensure producers' responsibility through a cradle-to-grave approach. “I am hopeful that we will be able to process 10 times more e-waste
this year than we have done till now,” says Gupta. And then, Attero's plant will be greener than its walls.
Tech city may get new plant to dump e-waste

Publication: Deccan Chronicle
Provider: Deccan Chronicle Group
June 1, 2010
May 31: Disposal of e-waste has been a huge challenge for IT hub Bengaluru. Apart from affecting the environment, it also contaminates soil, water
and air. World Environment Day on June 5 this year emphasising on â€˜Many species, one planet, one futureâ€™, the focus of the initiative being
bringing all these issues under one umbrella, experts said.
The environment and ecology department has suggested that tubelights and bulbs should be disposed off in an organised manner to avoid
contamination caused by mercury. This is a major task considering the growth of industries in such a rapid manner, says Kanwar Pal, state secretary
for environment and ecology. â€œA recommendation has been made to the government to start a pilot plant on a small scale only for industries. The
objective is for BBMP and the state pollution control board to take the lead in collection and segregation of such waste from industries. The plant will
be equipped with technology to separate and recover mercury in a safe manner. Approved recyclers will be included in the initiative and much of the
glass can also be reused,â€ he added.
Waste comprising tubelights and bulbs, not only cause contamination, but also releases toxins into the atmosphere. This results in an imbalance in the
ecosystem, both land and water and results in environmental degradation. Not forgetting the ill-effects to the human metabolic system, added Mr Pal.
This initiative hopes to reduce atmospheric contamination and its resultant effects, he said.
One plant has been suggested for Bengaluru, the location for which is yet to be decided, to cover industries within the city. The pilot plant is apt for
this sector to begin with. It can be extended to industrial hubs in other cities in the state.
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E-waste Co Attero Bets On Proposed Law To Put Onus On

Consumers
May 31, 2010
Anjali Prayag
Bangalore, May 30
In spite of a booming IT and telecom sector, ignorance and high cost of collection of e-waste is turning out to be a bane for one of India's leading
e-waste management companies.
But Mr Rohan Gupta, COO of Attero Recycling, is placing all his hopes on a law which is still at a draft stage, to set a framework for e-waste
management wherein the users pay for ,,ethical" disposal of electronic goods.
,,Awareness in India on electronic waste is still low and it's very expensive to reach the consumers directly and individually," Mr Gupta says, adding
that once the draft policy on e-waste recycling becomes legal, the movement would start rolling faster.
,,The draft policy will be under public scrutiny for two more months and we hope that in six months the recycling law for electronic waste will come
into effect."
Awareness drive
Mr Gupta said that the awareness is so poor that only 1 per cent of his 36,000 tonne capacity e-waste management plant in Uttarakhand is utilised.
This is despite the fact that the company is on a collection drive and has tied up with companies such as LG, Wipro, Tata Teleservices, KPMG,
Marriott and Perot Systems for supporting their e-waste disposal systems.
The Delhi-based company is also conducting an awareness and collection drive among manufacturers and corporates that use electronic goods. ,,The
recycling and environmental cost involved is high and if we collect it directly from consumers, the logistics cost too would go up," points out Mr
Gupta.
Attero set up an e-waste recycling plant at Roorkee last year at an investment of $6.3 million and expects to better its capacity usage this year. The
e-waste recycling process involves several steps, including mechanical separation, magnetic separation and metallurgical refining. All this involves a
cost which has to be borne either by the manufacturer or the owner of the product.
Recycling fee
On whether consumers will bear the e-waste disposal cost, Mr Gupta says that India, being still in the nascent stage of the e-waste disposal process,
the benefits of the process have to be taught to consumers through awareness drive before charging them a fee for it.
In countries such as Japan and the US, for instance, disposal of a TV or a monitor would cost a consumer or a manufacturer around $8 per system.
,,Either the consumer pays this as an exit fee when he discards the product or the manufacturer pays it as an advance fee and collects it from the
consumer. Either way, it's the consumer or the owner that pays for it." In India, the Government has to decide on whether the recycling fee should be
an advance or a gate fee, once the law comes into effect.
India produces over 400,000 tonnes of e-waste every year. Statistics show that over 130 million mobile phones and eight million PCs were sold last
year. ,,The average life of a cell phone is two years and that of a PC four years, which means, they're in the scrap market after that period," he points
out.
(AMM) E-waste export law needed: EPA chief

May 27, 2010

18:22:00 (GMT)
The head of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is calling for stronger laws on exports of discarded electronics containing dangerous
substances, although the agency hasn`t disclosed an actual proposal yet.
The problem calls for "legislative fixes that will help limit harmful exports that are happening under the name of legitimate reuse, refurbishment and
recycling," Lisa Jackson, EPA`s administrator, told a law enforcement forum this week.
"Misleading labels claim equipment is for reuse when really it`s just junk," she said, noting that she had expected to publicize the agenda during a trip
to Africa but the offshore oil spill quashed her travel plans.
Other laws and rules "can create incentives to spur the design of better, safer electronics, stopping some of the problems before they begin," Jackson
said.
23 of 40 04-12-2010 19:33
"We must also work together to collect the most accurate information on where e-waste goes and what happens once it gets there," she added.
Jackson was at a Global E-Waste Crime Group gathering in Virginia sponsored by the police liaison agency Interpol. Most of the meetings admitted
only law enforcement employees. Interpol`s David Asante-Apeatu was quoted in a publicity release as advocating strategies "to identify and
dismantle the networks behind these destructive crimes."
Vermont recycler Robin Ingenthron, who attended Jackson`s talk, told AMM that he cautioned her afterward about the risk of "sacrificing the large
and legitimate reuse market" if a tighter rulebook is written carelessly.
Ingenthron is the organizer of an advocacy and consulting group called the World Reuse, Repair and Recycling Association.
Also attending was Jim Puckett, founder of Basel Action Network, which views loopholes as a greater risk than crimping the refurbishment business.
"If EPA is finally turning the corner from being free traders in toxic waste to accepting export prohibitions to developing countries, many (of us) will
be thrilled and look forward to working with them toward that goal," Puckett told AMM.
'Government to bear 50% Capex for e-waste recycling facilities on

PPP mode'
May 27, 2010

New Delhi, May 26 -- The Government will bear 50 per cent of Capex for e-waste recycling facilities on public private parternship (PPP) mode, said
Rajiv Gauba, Joint Secretary with the Ministry of Environment and Forests, here on Wednesday. Speaking at a Confederation of Indian Industry(CII)
organized programme 'National Forum on eWaste' in the national capital, Gauba proposed both Central and State Government should share 25 per
cent of capital expenditure each for creating recycling facilities in the Public-Private-Partnership mode. Gauba said that 'Government with support
from Industry has to take a practical and pragmatic approach for effective implementation of the upcoming e-waste policy' and he invited suggestions
from all stakeholders. He added that the draft policy is based on concept of extended producers' responsibility and focuses on the infrastructure
creation for e-waste refurbishing, recycling and awareness creation at all levels. Gauba said that e-waste generation is expected to touch 800,000
tonnes by 2012, which is five times growth in less than five years, even when the per capita generation of e-Waste in the country is very low in
comparison to other countries of the world. On this occasion, Gauba also appreciated the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) for creating an
interactive platform for multi-stakeholders at the opportune time to discuss the challenges, issues and bring ideas and suggestions for draft National
Policy on e-Waste. While discussing the draft policy on e-waste, Director in the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Dr. Saroj said: 'As per India's
culture and heritage, the concept of positive reuse will be promoted through refurbishing and only something which cannot be reused must be
recycled in a scientific manner.' Emphasising that the main focus should be on efficient collection centres that can be made through industry
consortiums, state agencies etc, Dr. Saroj also requested for comprehensive proposals for financial support systems in this regard. She informed that
the draft policy puts more responsibility on Producers and Dealers and it is suggested that Dealers for electronic products would need to be registered
with State Pollution Control Boards and have efficient buy-back policies and mechanisms in place. 'MoEF does not want India to become a dumping
ground on plea of charity,' Dr. Saroj stated. Kensaku Konishi, President & CEO, Canon India Pvt Ltd, on this occasion, said 'The electronics
manufacturers' and large users of IT & electronics products need to effectively participate in e-waste management programmes and cultivate an
eco-friendly culture.' 'The need of the hour is to take a business approach which is socially responsible and economically logical ' as we do at Canon
and believe that we are building a better world for future generations,' he added. Ritu Kappal, COO, Greenscape Eco Management Pvt Ltd
appreciated the fact that the policy encourages producers to strengthen their reverse logistical processes and collaborate with authorized recyclers' so
that a framework develops for appropriate implementation of the policy'. Some other key speakers and participants represented companies like HP,
Nokia, Wipro, HCL, Ramky, MAIT, CEAMA, ELCINA, Toxic Links, Greenscape, E-Parisaraa, Greenpeace. Published by HT Syndication with
permission from Asian News International. For more information on news feed please contact Sarabjit Jagirdar at htsyndication@hindustantimes.com
India : India becoming dumping ground for e-waste

Provider: Al Bawaba
May 21, 2010

An environmental group warned Tuesday that India was fast becoming a dumping ground for electronic waste and asked the government to frame
stringent laws to control illegal trade and its recycling.
India generates up to 385,800 tons of electronic waste every year equal to 110 million laptops_ and imports another 55,100 tons, mostly illegally
under the pretext of metal scrap and secondhand electrical appliances, said the Center For Science And Environment.
Private companies employing thousands of workers recycled more than 90 percent of the electronic waste in India but draft laws circulated by the
government recently ignored this unorganized sector, Chandra Bhushan, the group's environmentalist told reporters.
The draft laws covered only big investment companies that account for only 10 percent of the recycling of electronic waste in the country, Bhushan
said.
The Environment Ministry spokeswoman was not immediately available for comment.
Bhushan also said the developed countries were using free trade agreements to export their wastes to countries like India to avoid the cost of
disposing of them.
He listed some of the hazards faced by thousands of workers in the Indian industry: Extracting lead could damage their kidneys and reproductive
health while plastic found in circuit boards could harm the immune system; chromium removed from metal plates in computers could damage liver
24 of 40 04-12-2010 19:33
and kidneys.
E-waste Rules Ignore Unorganised Sector

Publication: Hindu
May 20, 2010
NEW DELHI: By ignoring the unorganised sector that currently handles 90 per cent of India's electronic waste, the Union Government's new draft
regulations may not be effective in controlling illegal trade in e-waste.
A study by the Centre for Science and Environment here notes that the draft rules insist e-waste can be handled only by companies registered with
the Central Pollution Control Board. Currently, only 13 companies are registered to segregate e-waste and only one is registered to recycle it.
The vast bulk of the work is carried out by the unorganised sector, using rudimentary methods, in hazardous and polluting conditions, mostly in
Seelampur and Moradabad.
An undercover investigation by CSE showed that even that single registered company, Attero, is illegally reselling its e-waste to the unorganised
sector, and acting merely as a middleman.
,,The Government assumes it will be able to regulate the informal sector through its proposed rules, which allows only registered companies to recycle
e-waste. Actually, the unorganised sector will continue to be in the business, but will do it illegally," said Kushal Yadav, who heads CSE's toxins
department.
,,The informal sector should be involved in collection, segregation, dismantling and refurbishing of e-waste. Recycling should be done only by
approved units with pollution control technologies," said Chandra Bhushan, the head of CSE's industry team.
E-Waste Being Recycled In Most Hazardous Manner In India: Cse

May 19, 2010

New Delhi, May. 18 -- The Centre for Science and Environment(CSE) today cautioned the Government that the draft E-waste regulations will not be
able to control the pollution from this source because the proposed rules do not recognise the unorganised sector which recycles more than 90 per
cent of such waste. The draft regulations allow only registered, big investment companies to recycle e-waste but they do so only 10 per cent of the
total 350,000 tonnes of such waste while the rest is refurbished by the unorganised sector, said CSE expert Chandrabhushan addressing a press
conference here. In such a situation the Government's new rules were likely to be toothless as they ignore a glaring reality. A CSE team visited an
area from Seelampur in Delhi to Moradabad in Uttar Pradesh and found that more than 90 per cent of the country's e-waste lands up in these markets
and was being recycled or scrapped in a most hazardous manner. According to CSE experts, loopholes in the existing laws facilitate the import of
e-waste in the country which is about 50,000 tonnes annually. The developed countries are using the Free Trade Agreements(FTAs) to export their
waste to the developing countries. Japan and the EU, for instance, were currently negotiating with India and a deal was likely to be signed this year.
The leaked draft of the agreement between India and EU coins a new name for the waste. It says ''non-new goods shall be understood to include
notable used and remanufactured goods and that ''non-new'' goods would not have any restrictions such as import or export tariffs. ''Thus import of
waste could be treated just like import of fresh products. This could result in enormous increase in the import of waste to India, with very adverse
impact on environment,'' it said. Mr Chandrabhushan said the Government had given licence to import e-waste only to one company Attero
Recycling but the undercover investigations by CSE team revealed that Attero was reselling e-waste instead of recycling it. The CSE team also
displayed to the reporters a junk computer set purchased from the company by the undercover reporter of the Down To Earth magazine published by
it. He said the CSE had apprised the Government of the result of their findings and the Government had said it had asked the Central Pollution
Control Board to look into the matter. However, Attero in a press statement denied that it was violating any regulations. It said it was authorised
under certain conditions to refurbish some waste and sell it. Later, company CEO Nitin Gupta told reporters that the CSE charge that it was selling
e-waste to the unorganised sector was baseless. Published by HT Syndication with permission from United News of India. For more information on
news feed please contact Sarabjit Jagirdar at htsyndication@hindustantimes.com
Ministry explores options for managing e-waste

Publication: Pioneer
May 18, 2010

New Delhi, May 18 -- Manage your e-waste and we will pay you. With the country's e-waste expected to cross the 8-lakh tonne mark by 2012 and
with no mechanism in place to manage it, the Centre now plans to provide even financial assistance to States taking up the responsibility in their
respective jurisdictions. The Government is also exploring possibilities to set up facilities for e-waste management in the Public Private Partnership
(PPP) mode. The Environment Ministry and the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), which have drafted the guidelines for environmentally
sound management of e-waste, is, however, clear: It will be the State Pollution Control Boards/Authorities which will have the onus of enforcement.
The Ministry is in discussion with the Planning Commission over the financial implications involved. The Ministry plans to provide financial
assistance worth Rs 2 crore to each State but which would be subject to a commitment from the respective Government, operators or pollution
control board. "We expect the State Government to acquire the land for infrastructure installation. The concerned entrepreneur has to come up with
25 of 40 04-12-2010 19:33
the necessary technical assistance," sources in the Environment Ministry said. "It is the responsibility of the producer to set up collection centres
either individually or jointly. We are flexible in this regard and will let the market forces take its course in this regard, where the PPP mode is also
being proposed. However, these collection chains need to be registered with the respective pollution control authorities," the sources maintained. The
move is being proposed on the lines of the Treatment, Storage and Disposal Facilities for Hazardous Waste. "The crux of the e-waste management lies
in the Extended Producer Responsibility that entails the setting up of extensive chains of collection centres," the sources added. However, Satish
Sinha, a radiation expert from the NGO Toxic Links contended that though the draft states that it would be the responsibility of the producer, it does
not specify any mechanism to ensure this. It is difficult to understand about the actual implementation of the rules, he said The rules have tried to
cover all products without mentioning the creation of any infrastructure or systems for collection. "Without enough estimates for some of the
products, how will the wide range of products be managed? The rules do not suggest any target to be achieved by the producers and the funding
mechanism is not specified. The rules need to incorporate more aspects of transparency," felt Sinha. Abhishek Pratap Singh, working on e-waste and
radiation at Greenpeace, pointed out to the legal ambiguity on the financial responsibility of the producers on their historic and future waste.
Published by HT Syndication with permission from Pioneer. For more information on news feed please contact Sarabjit Jagirdar at
MAIT welcomes draft e-waste (Management and Handling Rules),

2010
Publication: Express Computer
Provider: Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
May 17, 2010
MAIT, the apex body representing the interest of the IT hardware industry in India congratulated the Union Minister of State for Environment &
Forests, Shri. Jairam Ramesh on making the draft ‘e-waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 2010’ public today. Putting the draft rules in the
public domain is a part of the Government process of rule making. These shall remain in the public domain (moef.nic.in) for receiving comments from
the public and stakeholders for a period of two months.
Vinnie Mehta, MAIT Executive Director, said, “The recently announced new set of rules for environmentally sound management of e-waste is the
need of the hour. E-waste is one of the world’s fastest growing waste streams and with increased consumption of IT and electronics products, India
will soon be faced with the challenges of managing the same. Currently, an estimated three lakh eighty thousand metric tons of e-waste is generated
annually in India. To address the issue of e-waste in India, MAIT along with GTZ, Greenpeace and Toxicslink had recommended a set of draft rules
to the Government in August 2009.”
“Detailed liabilities and obligations of all stakeholders have been clearly spelt out in the proposed rules. The draft rules lay emphasis on responsibility
of the producers namely manufacturers and vendors, including financial responsibility, extending beyond the sales of equipment and setting up of
take-back systems for effective management and handling of e-waste. Further, all stakeholders including the dealers, refurbishers, dismantlers,
collectors, recyclers and the government agencies for implementation and monitoring have to execute their responsibilities in tandem. The draft rules
also advocate RoHS (Restrictions on Hazardous Substances)—the need to Restrict Hazardous Substances in electronics equipment. An attempt has
been made to simplify the various procedures for better compliance,” added Mehta.
Reassuring the IT Hardware Industry’s commitment towards managing and minimizing e-waste, Mehta said, “Most IT brands have already taken
proactive measures for controlling and managing e-waste resulting from their products. Most IT products being offered in the market today are RoHS
compliant. Further, leading brands today have set up their own take-back and collections systems. With the rules now being formally announced, we
expect greater compliance from all stakeholders.”
Brief
expcmp expcmp
Tamil Nadu Frames Separate E-waste Policy

Publication: Hindu
May 16, 2010
Shyam Ranganathan and Ramya Kannan
Partnership among stakeholders vital for the success of the process
Government will undertake a massive awareness programme
CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu has become the first State in the country to come up with a separate e-waste policy in the country. While welcoming the
move, and the policy on collection by community-based organisations (CBO), activists and organisations are awaiting specific details.
,,We have taken the utmost efforts even while drafting to be as close to the national e-waste policy as possible," Santhosh Babu, managing director,
Electronics Corporation of Tamil Nadu Limited (ELCOT), says. The ELCOT was one of the key organisations that worked on preparing the policy
for the State. The 11-12 members who were on the Board were drawn from several allied sectors were given the mandate to keep in tune with the
national guidelines.
While at this point of time, the e-waste policy remains a mere document, it will be followed in the next six months with a series of government orders
and a set of rules that will ensure the implementation of all the features mentioned in the policy.
26 of 40 04-12-2010 19:33
Ram Ramachandran, president, All India e-waste Recyclers Association, said it was a ,,great start."
But he pointed out that it would be necessary to take up collection and segregation in a careful manner. ,,Sometimes the value of the recovered after
recycling may not be able to cover even the transportation costs," he said. He called for a partnership among all stakeholders to make the process
successful.
Abhishek Pratap, Greenpeace Toxics campaigner, said, bringing local bodies and community organisations into the collection of e-waste was
welcome. He said it was important to incorporate very specific targets and for co-ordination between various bodies.
,,Building an end-to-end recycling facility is a very costly proposition. So it will be better to have a few central facilities and to have different States
co-operate in the process," he said.
Dr. Santhosh Babu said that once the rules were in place, key stakeholders, who have been identified already, including manufacturers, pollution
control boards, local bodies, and ELCOT, would be apprised of their roles.
Specific questions as to how extended producer responsibility would be answered and the structure of the collection and disposal chain would be
ensured.
The government would also take up a massive awareness programme to tell consumers of the huge quantities of e-waste they are accumulating, and
suggesting responsible means of getting rid of them.
,,It is the next biggest threat, the way we see it. We are slowly, subtly, sometimes unknowingly polluting our environment with electronic goods.
Citizen awareness is the first step in trying to address this problem," Dr. Santhosh Babu added.
Extended Producer Responsibility Key Element Of State's E-waste

Policy
Publication: Hindu
May 15, 2010
CHENNAI: Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) will be an essential element in the e-waste management system of the State government.
According to Tamil Nadu's e-Waste policy, the first of its kind by a State in India, released on Thursday, producers of electrical and electronic
equipment will be responsible for providing services in the post-consumer stage of the product life-cycle as part of the Extended Producer
Responsibility (EPR) concept.
While the State government, through the Information Technology Department, will be responsible for formulation and implementation of the policy
along with the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB), the TNPCB will ensure compliance with policy and regulations.
Advisory committee
An advisory committee will be formed to monitor the implementation and review the performance of various stakeholders.
An annual review of the policy guidelines has also been suggested.
The policy also looks at involving consumers, self-help groups and local bodies in the effective implementation of the policy. Community-based
Organisations (CBO) will be involved in the collection systems for e-waste.
The public-private-partnership model will be used extensively.
The policy also lays stress on the Restriction on the use of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) and the 3Rs - Reduce, Reuse and Recycle - concepts.
Stalin unveils e-waste policy

May 14, 2010

CHENNAI, May 14 -- Deputy Chief Minister MK Stalin on Thursday unveiled the State government's ewaste policy.
Addressing the gathering at the Sholinganallur IT/ITES Special Economic Zone (SEZ) inaugural here, Stalin said, "It has been felt for a long time that
we need a clear ewaste policy to tackle the growing issue of how to deal with piling e-waste." The policy sets forth the position of the State
government on e-waste management by identifying the roles and responsibilities of all stakeholders, including the public, in reducing the generation
of e-waste and providing a system for its collection, segregation and recycling.
The policy would be implemented in a structured manner by detailing the action programme with definite timelines, setting up a monitoring
committee, promoting e-waste recycling as a socially viable industry in the State and involving the small and medium enterprises.
The State government, its IT department and the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) are responsible for formulation and implementation
of the policy.
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The TNPCB is vested with the responsibility for effectively implementing the policy and it shall lay down the requirements and procedures for a
recycler.
The role of corporations, municipalities , t own panchayats and panchayats is important in the collection of e-waste, especially from household and
other end-users, and its segregation from other household waste. They will also have to send the collected waste to authorised collection centres or
registered recyclers for recycling. Published by HT Syndication with permission from New Indian Express. For more information on news feed please
contact Sarabjit Jagirdar at htsyndication@hindustantimes.com
India : E-waste disposal may soon be manufacturers' headache

Provider: Al Bawaba
May 11, 2010

If notified, the Centre's draft policy on the disposal of hazardous e-waste could well become a landmark law. In its draft rules, the ministry of
environment and forests (MoEF) has proposed that manufacturers and dealers of electrical and electronic products be made accountable for the
'end-of-life' disposal of the goods, once they become obsolete or are ready to be recycled. Manufacturers will not only be made responsible for setting
up collection centres to oversee the process, but have to also ensure that the hazardous products are handled by registered dismantlers or recyclers in
order to control the possible damage to the environment and human health. According to a national survey conducted by an international NGO, India
generates a whopping four lakh tonnes of hazardous e-waste from electronic products such as computers, television sets, etc every year. The fact that
almost all obsolete electronic items have components believed to be carcinogenic is something that cannot be ignored, said an MoEF official. While
the draft policy does not deal with individual consumers, bulk clients like banks, MNCs and other big companies will now have to deposit their
e-waste at authorized collection centres instead of selling them to local wholesale scrap shops. "Bulk consumer will also have to file annual returns on
the quantity of the e-waste disposed. After Europe and the US, India is the first nation among developing countries to draft such a proposal," the
MoEF official said. Records of e-waste that have been handled will have to be maintained by all concerned parties.
E-waste may now include your kid's toys and household goods
May 10, 2010
Viju B
MUMBAI: Be warned. Your child's seemingly innocent remote-controlled car that you would normally sell to the local raddiwallah could soon be
categorised as e-waste. That is if the Ministry of Environment and Forests' (MoEF) draft on the disposal of hazardous e-waste is notified and made
into a law. The MoEF has broadened the definition of e-waste to include gaming consoles, household appliances, smoke detectors, etc.
Besides toys, products will fall under nine main categories - large and small household appliances, electrical and electronic goods, medical equipment,
control instruments like smoke detectors, automatic dispensers, IT and telecommunication goods like fax machines, and consumer electronic products
such as computers.
"While drafting the rules we looked at items that have some kind of electronic, electrical and digital circuits and equipment that run on batteries," an
MoEF official said. He added that the influx of cheap imported toys and videogames in the market are a major component of the increasing the
e-waste tonnage across the country. "They are not being disposed properly. Toys and batteries are being dumped along with regular garbage leading
to heavy lead and cadmium contamination in ground water," the official said. For instance, the paint in some toys contains cadmium, which if not
disposed off properly can be toxic and carcinogenic. It can also harm aquatic life.
Dr Hasnanin Patel, who is a consultant clinical metal toxicologist with Saifee Hospital in south Mumbai, said the lack of a system to dispose e-waste
is detrimental to the health of citizens. "We still throw used batteries into garbage bins. From there, they reach the dumping ground and enter the land
fill, polluting ground water. Most of these hazardous elements in the e-waste category today end up in godowns or in the hands of raddiwallahs," he
said.
The onus rests not only on the shoulders of manufacturers and dealers, but also on individual consumers. Public awareness, say activists who have
been lobbying for the draft policy to be notified, is the key. "People still think that plastic is the only garbage that can pose a grave risk to one's
health. No one realises that metal poisoning can also cause irreversible damage to the body," said Patel.
Many experts point out that while the MoEF's draft policy looks good on paper, implementation will depend on how strict the government is with
manufacturers who violate the law. "This is assuming that the policy will be notified," said Abhishek Pratap of Greenpeace. " In countries like the US
and Europe, citizens cannot simply throw away obsolete goods and e-waste. They have to submit them to authorised collection centres."
E-waste disposal may soon be manufacturers' headache

May 9, 2010
Viju B
28 of 40 04-12-2010 19:33
MUMBAI: If notified, the Centre's draft policy on the disposal of hazardous e-waste could well become a landmark law. In its draft rules, the
ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) has proposed that manufacturers and dealers of electrical and electronic products be made accountable
for the 'end-of-life' disposal of the goods, once they become obsolete or are ready to be recycled.
Manufacturers will not only be made responsible for setting up collection centres to oversee the process, but have to also ensure that the hazardous
products are handled by registered dismantlers or recyclers in order to control the possible damage to the environment and human health. According
to a national survey conducted by an international NGO, India generates a whopping four lakh tonnes of hazardous e-waste from electronic products
such as computers, television sets, etc every year.
The fact that almost all obsolete electronic items have components believed to be carcinogenic is something that cannot be ignored, said an MoEF
official. While the draft policy does not deal with individual consumers, bulk clients like banks, MNCs and other big companies will now have to
deposit their e-waste at authorized collection centres instead of selling them to local wholesale scrap shops.
"Bulk consumer will also have to file annual returns on the quantity of the e-waste disposed. After Europe and the US, India is the first nation among
developing countries to draft such a proposal," the MoEF official said. Records of e-waste that have been handled will have to be maintained by all
concerned parties.
While environmental agencies like Greenpeace and Toxics Link have hailed the move as a step in the right direction, activists have expressed concern
over whether the draft policy will be notified in its entirety. "This draft rules will finally bring in some positive changes and will make the
manufacturer, dealer and the consumer more accountable while disposing e-waste," said Abhishek Pratap, an anti-toxic campaigner with
Greenpeace. The MoEF had formed a core committee and had taken suggestions from various NGOs and experts to draft the rules, which they hope
will be notified in around seven weeks, with "suitable amendments". Even if the MoEF's proposals become the law - something that activists are
actively campaigning for - many say that the government's task won't be easy in the face of stiff resistance from manufacturers and dealers. Officials
in the ministry admitted that the efficacy of what has been proposed will also depend on a proactive approach from the industry.
"So far only 20-odd companies are actively involved in collecting e-waste from their consumers and routing it to recycling plants. We hope more
companies come forward and form a consortium in setting up additional centres and recycling units," the official said. The draft rules say the dealers
will also have to collect e-waste by providing consumers a box or bin or a demarcated area to deposit the used goods. "The Extended Producer
Responsibility (EPR) is yet to become a reality in India," a official said, adding that the draft rule also mandates that the manufacturer provide each
item with a unique serial number to help track the product.
New E-waste Plan Unveiled

Publication: Hindu
May 6, 2010
Staff Reporter
KSPCB launches `Crystal' involving recyclers
Bangalore: ,,Crystal," a pilot project to bring the informal e-waste recyclers of Bangalore into the mainstream, involving four private agencies, was
launched on Wednesday under the auspices of the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB).
The four private agencies ? E-Waste Agency (EWA), the Umicore Precious Metals Refining (UPMR), Belgium, E-Parisara Private Limited and GTZ,
Germany ? which are working in the e-waste management sector, are participating in the new initiative.
The agencies have signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Wednesday to operate the project for 18 months.
Under the project, the agencies will interact with informal recyclers of e-waste about the possibility of recovery of precious metals from e-waste and
encouraging them to adopt scientific methods for recycling, which will ensure better return for them.
During the project period, the e-Parisara will export the e-waste from which precious metals can be extracted to the UPMR, Belgium, which has the
required technology while rest of the e-waste are recycled indigenously. Also, the informal recyclers will train the informal sector recyclers to
become professional by improving technology and environmental conditions.
Study
KSPCB Chairman A.S. Sadashivaiah said the agencies would conduct a study to ascertain quantum of e-waste generated in Bangalore in a year.
The pilot project would test the economic feasibility for a small-scale e-waste recycling company that had upgraded from an informal sector to an
organised sector.
'Crystal' Launched For Recycling E-Waste

May 6, 2010
Bangalore, May. 5 -- Following the advent of the new e-waste rules, Karnataka State Pollution Control Board today launched 'CRYSTAL' E-Waste
disposal programme that can turn into a win-win situation for both informal sector recyclers and for the better environment condition. For successful
29 of 40 04-12-2010 19:33
launch of the programe Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between e-waste Agency (EWA), Umicore (Precious Metal Refining) of
Belgium and E-Parisaraa Pvt Ltd, Bangalore and KSPCB here. KSPCB Chairman A S Sadashivaiah said that under the e-waste rules the informal
sector faces the risk of losing their jobs if they continue to follow the unhealthy and inefficient practices of recycling. ''India will lose out on its
strengths of recycling in case the informal sector is wiped out. Hence, to have a win-win situation for both the informal recyclers and for the better
environment conditions 'CRYSTAL' was being launched.'' In India more than 80 per cent E-waste recycling was carried out in informal sector. The
strength of this sector lies in the extremely efficient network of collection, hand sorting of the e-waste and economically efficient processes of
dismantling. The major concerns and deficiencies in this sector's work was the final recovery of precious metals and disposal of toxic substances
during the dismantling and recovery process. use of acids, cyanide and mercury for recovery of gold, silver, platinum, paladium etc. ''E-waste not
only causes environmental problems but also severe occupational hazards.'', he added. Published by HT Syndication with permission from United
News of India. For more information on news feed please contact Sarabjit Jagirdar at htsyndication@hindustantimes.com
KSPCB herds recyclers for treating e-waste

Publication: Deccan Herald
Provider: The Printers (Mysore) Limited
May 6, 2010
/td> Bangalore, May 5, DHNS: Thursday, May 06, 2010 -->
Extraction of gold, silver and platinum will now become more lucrative
Concerned over the threat posed to the environment by e-waste generated in the State, the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) has
launched a project `Crystal' to bring waste treating companies together and help them in treatment of waste using state-of-the-art facilities. A
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed in this regard.
The business to obtain precious metal such as gold, silver and platinum by recycling electronic waste will now be more lucrative following this MoU.
E-waste can be extracted more efficiently by the e- waste recyclers and reusers following the MoU between e-parisara pvt limited, the
Belgium-based Umicore Precious Metal Refinery and e-waste agency (EWA).
The project taken up by KSPCB through its hazardous waste and water management (HAWA) will ensure scientific extraction of precious metals.
,,There are a dozen informal metal recovery units in the State, that function in an unscientific manner. This project ensures work in more scientific
manner.
,,Very few companies in the world know about this technology. Umicore, a leading specialist in the recovery of precious metals, is one among them,"
A S Sadashivaiah, Chairman, KSPCB told media persons. The 15-month project is aimed at bringing all the units together and to ensure better
collection and recovery.
Precious metals
According to P Binisha, Chief Environment Advisor, HAWA GTZ, the printed circuit board connector and other components of a computer have a
fraction of precious metal. That portion will be extracted and sent to Belgium for recovery. ,,Since the recyclers cannot afford to export the
consignment unless it is 10 metric tonnes, project Crystal will enable them to do so as if they come as a group," she said.
Binisha said KSPCB, which is involved in the project through HAWA will support the project by looking into legal aspects and suggesting regarding
the regulatory related issues. On the role of e- parisara, she said that since it has an export licence it will take initiative of export. ,,It will accept
container load when they function as a group," she said. Environmental process, avoiding occupational hazards and ensuring better efficiency of
recovery will be the additional benefit of the projects.
New rules
Finally the Union Government has come out with rules to dispose electronic waste. A S Sadashivaiah, Chairman, KSPCB, announced that the rules
will be a reality soon. He said that the board has received a draft copy and is still under discussion. He said that it will be made public following the
order from the Union Government.
The country annually produces about 1.5 lakh metric tonnes of e-waste and the City alone contributes about 8,000 tonnes. However, e-parisara says
that the City figure is only from the IT industries and the domestic e-waste like television, fridge and others are not included in this.
Handle e-waste with care: Ravindra

May 6, 2010
BANGALORE, May 6 -- Former state chief secretary Dr A Ravindra on Wednesday said that ewaste management was a very complicated issue and
had to be handled with care as many toxic gases, metals and chemicals were released into the atmosphere while recycling it.
After launching project CRYSTAL of the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB), aimed at making e-waste recycling more efficient,
Ravindra said, "This pilot project will go a long way in managing e-waste in the state and pave the way for making new laws for e-waste disposal.
Most of the ewaste will be recycled in India by the local and some segregated ewaste that contains toxic particles and precious material will be
recycled by Umicore, a Belgium-based company".
KSPCB chairman AS Sadashivaiah wanted the ewaste recycling technology to be eventually transferred to India. Umicore will implement this
one-and-half year project along with Bangalore-based e-Parisaraa and GTZ-HAWA-EWA under the supervision of KSPCB's e-waste. Published by
HT Syndication with permission from New Indian Express. For more information on news feed please contact Sarabjit Jagirdar at
30 of 40 04-12-2010 19:33
Environment E Waste Disposal Two Last New Delhi

May 6, 2010
Kochi, May. 6 -- The rules also lay down specific responsibilities of refurbishers, dismantlers, recyclers and reprocessors, collection centres and bulk
consumers. They lay down a detailed procedure for authorisation from the state pollution boards for handling and storing e-waste. Storage would not
be allowed for more than 120 days. The producers are also required to reduce use of hazardous materials used in electrical and electronic equipment
within three years from the date of commencement of the rules. A list of 20 such hazardous materials is provided in a schedule, that include mercury,
lead, lead oxide and even LCDs (liquid crystals). The list of products covered under the draft rules is quite exhaustive. Besides computers, laptops,
printers, copying equipment, electrical and electronic typewriters, telephones, telex, cell phones, pocket and desk calculators, the list of items notified
also cover refrigerators, microwaves, washing machines, vacuum cleaners, electric irons, toasters, grinders, digital clocks and watches, hair cutting
and drying machines, radio and TV sets, video and digital cameras, amplifiers and musical instruments. Toys whose disposal will be mandatory under
the draft rules include electric trains and cars, video games, coin slot machines, computers for biking, diving and rowing, and sports equipment with
electrical or or electronic components. Electric drills, sewing machines, welding and soldering machines, spray machines as also radiotherapy
equipment and devices (except implanted) for cardiology, dialysis, ventilators, nuclear medicines, in-vitro diagnosis, and other appliances for
detecting, preventing, monitoring and treating illness, injury or disability are all covered under the comprehensive draft rules. Published by HT
Syndication with permission from United News of India. For more information on news feed please contact Sarabjit Jagirdar at
E-Waste Disposal'S Onus On Producers

May 6, 2010
New Delhi, May. 6 -- If rules proposed by Union Environment Ministry for disposal of e-waste become applicable, producers of electric and
electronic equipment will be made primarily responsible for disposing them after "end of life." The draft of e-waste disposal rules notified today
prohibit dropping of e-waste in garbage bins. The rules ban import of used electrical and electronic equipment for charity, as promised by
Environment and Forest Minister Jairam Ramesh in Parliament last week. The notification, inviting public suggestions and objections within the next
60 days, also fixes responsibilities on dealers, waste collection centres, refurbishers, dismantlers, recyclers, auctioneers and bulk consumers. Batteries
already covered under the Batteries (management and handling) rules as also radioactive wastes covered by the Atomic Energy Act and waste from
ships beyond 5 km from sea baseline covered by the Merchant Shipping Act are excluded from provisions of the proposed rules. E-waste as defined
in the rules is not limited to only information technology(IT) and telecommunication equipment, but also covers eight other categories of items,
including household appliances, toys, sports equipment, medical devices, electrical and electronic tools, automatic dispensers and consumer
electronics. Producers are required to stamp unique serial number of identification code on each electrical and electronic equipment so that it could
be tracked in the e-waste management system. They are made responsible for collecting e-waste generated after the "end of life" of their products.
They would be tasked with channelling such waste to registered refurbishers, dismantlers and recyclers as part of their "extended responsibility".
Producers are required to set up e-waste collection centres to take back all electrical and electronic equipment at the end of their life. They will have
to provide contact details of dealers and authorised collection centres to consumers to enable them return the used items. All products will carry
instructions for consumers on handling and disposing them. Every dealer is also sought to be made responsible for collecting used electric and
electronic equipment from consumers by providing a bin or demarcated area to deposit e-waste. Dealers will have to register themselves with the
state pollution control boards and provide details of e-waste collected by them on a half yearly basis. It will be the dealer's responsibility to safely
transport back the e-waste to the producers or the authorised collection centres and maintain records of e-waste so handled. How to transport
e-waste is also defined. Published by HT Syndication with permission from United News of India. For more information on news feed please contact
Sarabjit Jagirdar at htsyndication@hindustantimes.com
City sits on e-waste bomb

May 6, 2010
Bengaluru, May 5: Being the IT capital of the country, Bengaluru contributes hugely to e-waste. The IT hub, which sees a big demand for electronics
goods, reportedly accounts for nearly 10,000 tonnes of the 1.5 lakh tonnes of e-waste generated across India.
But worryingly, not enough attention is being given to how this e-waste is disposed of as nearly 95 per cent of it is generated by the informal sector in
the country, says Steven Art of Umicore, Belgium, which is working with the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) for e-waste
management. â€œThe informal sectors, which produce a large amount of e-waste, create health and environmental hazards while disposing it. The
recovery rate of precious metals from these devices is not more than 50 per cent,â€ Mr Art says.
While Union minister of state for environment and forests Jairam Ramesh recently came up with draft disposal rules for e-waste in an attempt to
streamline the process in the country, it may take a while to implement them. The draft rules that have been sent to all state pollution boards for
suggestions, are expected to regulate the process of discarding and recycling e-waste. Drafted under the Environment Act, the rules are directed at
reducing environmental degradation and occupational hazards and place a lot of responsibility on producers to dispose e-waste the proper way,
besides quantifying the emissions which can be allowed into the atmosphere during recycling.
But the rules will have to wait until a clearer picture emerges about the amount of e-waste generated in the country, says KSPCB chairman, A. S.
Sadashivaiah.
31 of 40 04-12-2010 19:33
â€œAlthough we think Bengaluru generates nearly 10,000 tonnes of e-waste annually, we need to do a systematic survey to establish this. We now
intend to carry out an inventory of not just the waste generated but its production centres as well. This will take time as we need experts to carry out
the survey . But we intend to set up a team to do the job,â€ Mr Sadashivaiah explains.
'Crystal' launched for recycling E-Waste

May 5, 2010
/td> Bangalore, May 5 (PTI): Wednesday, May 05, 2010 -->
In the wake of new e-waste rules, Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) today launched "CRYSTAL", an e-waste disposal programme
that will not only help unorganised recyclers, but also the environment.
Addressing reporters after inking an MoU between an e-waste agency, Umicore of Belgium, E-Parisaraa Pvt Ltd, Bangalore and Chairman KSPCB A
S Sadashivaiah said the unorganised sector faces the risk of losing jobs under new rules if it continues to follow "unhealthy and inefficient" recycling
practices.
"India will lose out on its strengths of recycling in case the unorganised sector is wiped out. Hence, to have a win-win situation for both the
unorganised sector and environment, Crystal is being launched", he said.
In India more than 80 per cent E-waste recycling is done by the unorganised sector. The strength of this sector lies in the extremely efficient network
of collection, hand-sorting of e-waste and economically efficient processes of dismantling.
The major concerns and deficiencies in this sector's work was the final recovery of precious metals and disposal of toxic substances during the
dismantling and recovery process.
"E-waste not only causes environmental problems but also severe occupational hazards.", Sadashivaiah added.
Under the pact, the three agencies will run the 18-month pilot project "Crystal", as an exercise to collect the precious metal fraction of the e-waste
and undertake recovery at Umicore's plant in Belgium.
State to unveil E-waste policy on May 13

May 4, 2010
CHENNAI, May 4 -- The State government will unveil the much-awaited e-waste policy on May 13, Minister for Information Technology
Poongothai Aladi Aruna conveyed the Assembly on Monday.
Replying to the discussion on the demands for grants for the Information Technology Department, she said that Tamil Nadu stood first in the use of
cellphone and the government would introduce m-Governance soon at an expenditure of Rs 10 lakh. The government had already selected the firm
which would implement the project, she said.
In the policy note for the IT department tabled by her, the Minister said: Chennai being a major ICT hub and with the industry now expanding to tier
II and III cities and towns and indeed into villages, it was imperative that a comprehensive policy for Environmentally Sound Management (ESM) of
e-waste be in place.
The main reason why e-waste had become a global concern was the presence of toxic and hazardous substances in these equipment such as lead,
cadmium, mercury, arsenic, barium, beryllium and brominated flame-retardants. In the absence of an effective method for collection of e-waste and
managing the hazardous constituents, it was likely to be disposed off in land-fills resulting in high environmental risk and health hazards to humans
and animals or end up at the backyard units which recycle such waste using highly polluting technologies, the Minister said in the policy note.
Earlier, VCK MLA K Ravikumar urged the government to formulate a policy for the management of e-waste stating that otherwise it would cause
harm to human health and environment. Published by HT Syndication with permission from New Indian Express. For more information on news feed
please contact Sarabjit Jagirdar at htsyndication@hindustantimes.com
Centre Drafts Rules For E-waste Recycling

April 29, 2010
Details producer, consumer responsibilities
Our Bureau
New Delhi, April 28
32 of 40 04-12-2010 19:33
Organised recycling of electronic waste or e-waste is all set to get a policy push.
The Environment Ministry on Wednesday announced draft rules for handling of e-waste by defining the responsibilities of stakeholders such as
producers, dealers and recyclers among others.
According to the draft E-waste (Management and Handling) Rules 2010, the producer of electronic goods including household appliances,
computers, toys and medical equipment shall be liable for collecting any e-waste generated while manufacturing and will have to channelise it for
recycling.
In fact, the producers' responsibility will go beyond the boundaries of the manufacturing unit. They will set up collection centres for e-waste
generated from ènd of life' of their products in line with the principle of èxtended producer responsibility' and ensure that such e-waste is
channelised to a registered refurbisher.
They shall also finance and organise a system to meet the costs involved in handling the e-waste.
Tracking code
The rules moot a unique serial number or individual identification code for product tracking in the e-waste management system. Dealers have to
make provision for collecting used appliances. Besides registering themselves with the respective State Pollution Control Boards, they will have to
submit details of the collected waste annually.
Even the consumers are expected to do their bit by ensuring that the electronic equipment not fit for use is deposited with the dealer or authorised
collection centre.
Who's responsible?
Emphasising the reduction in use of hazardous substances (RoHS) in the manufacture of electrical and electronic equipment over a three-year period,
the rules state that producers are expected to adhere to the prescribed minimum threshold limits to using such substances. Further, the import of used
electrical and electronic equipment for charity shall not be allowed in the country, the rules state.
Further, the stakeholders shall be liable for any damage caused to the environment or human health including third parties due to improper handling
and disposal of e-waste. They shall inform the authorities of such damage and undertake to reinstate or restore the damage at their cost, failing which
they shall be liable to pay the entire cost of remediation or restoration of the environment. Even the consumers shall be liable to deposit the e-waste
with an authorised dealer or collection centre, failing which they shall be liable to pay a fine as specified for violation of the provision.
It is estimated that India produces some 3.8 lakh tonnes of e-waste annually.
Mr Nitin Gupta, CEO of Attero Recycling, said one of the highlights of the draft e-waste rules was the concept of `producer responsibility'.
"It has said that manufacturers will be responsible for the safe disposal of electronics product - as is the case with markets like Europe and Japan," he
said.
Asked if the implementation of the same would increase the expenses (associated with collection and disposal of such products) for the manufacturer,
he said, "The cost will vary from case to case, but it will be less than one per cent of the total sales of companies. It is more a mindset issue and not so
much a financial burden."
IT hardware association MAIT's Executive Director, Mr Vinnie Mehta, said e-waste is one of the world's fastest growing waste streams. "With
increased consumption of IT and electronics products, India will soon be faced with the challenges of managing the same," he said welcoming the
draft rules.
Mr Rajoo Goel, Secretary General, Electronics Industries Association of India, "Currently there is no formal system of recycling of electronic waste
as the industry is divided into organised and unorganised. While exchange offers by companies are self-financing in nature, e-waste per se still needs
a formal system of disposal. Companies, therefore, will need to invest in building such an infrastructure."
The Ministry has now sought comments from stakeholders over the next two months.
More e-waste from developing than developed nations

Publication: Indo Asian News Service
April 29, 2010

Washington, April. 29 -- Developing countries will be producing at least twice as much electronic waste (e-waste) as developed countries in the next
six to eight years, says a new study. It foresees in 2030 developing countries discarding 400 million to 700 million obsolete personal computers (PCs)
per year as compared to 200 million-300 million in developed countries. Eric Williams of the Arizona State University (ASU) and colleagues cite a
dramatic increase in ownership of PCs and other electronic devices in both developed and developing countries. At the same time, technological
advances are shrinking the lifetime of consumer electronics products so that people discard them sooner than ever before. That trend has led to a
global concern about environmentally safe ways of disposing e-waste, which contains potentially toxic substances, says a release of the American
Chemical Society (ACS). The scientists used a computer model to forecast global distribution of discarded PCs. It concluded that consumers in
developing countries will trash more computers than developed countries by 2016, with the trend continuing and escalating thereafter. "Our central
assertion is that the new structure of global e-waste generation discovered here, combined with economic and social considerations, call for a serious
reconsideration of e-waste policy," the report notes. These findings were published in ACS' semi-monthly journal Environmental Science &
Technology. Published by HT Syndication with permission from Indo-Asian News Service. For more information on news feed please contact Sarabjit
Jagirdar at htsyndication@hindustantimes.com
33 of 40 04-12-2010 19:33
Developing nations will produce more e-waste than developed ones by

2016
April 29, 2010

Washington, April 29 -- If a new research is to be believed, then developing countries will produce double the electronic waste (e-waste) of
developed countries by 2016. The study foresees in 2030 developing countries discarding 400 million - 700 million obsolete personal computers per
year compared to 200 million - 300 million in developed countries. Eric Williams and colleagues cite a dramatic increase in ownership of PCs and
other electronic devices in both developed and developing countries. At the same time, technological advances are shrinking the lifetime of consumer
electronics products, so that people discard electronics products sooner than ever before. That trend has led to global concern about environmentally
safe ways of disposing of e-waste, which contains potentially toxic substances. The scientists used a computer model to forecast global distribution of
discarded PCs. They concluded that consumers in developing countries would trash more computers than developed countries by 2016, with the
trend continuing and escalating thereafter. "Our central assertion is that the new structure of global e-waste generation discovered here, combined
with economic and social considerations, call for a serious reconsideration of e-waste policy," the report noted. The study has been published in ACS'
semi-monthly journal Environmental Science & Technology. Published by HT Syndication with permission from Asian News International. For more
information on news feed please contact Sarabjit Jagirdar at htsyndication@hindustantimes.com
Centre To Pitch In Towards E-waste Recycling

Publication: Hindustan Times
April 29, 2010

NationalGeneral NewsThe Environment Ministry has decided to launch a scheme for recycling electronic waste. Recycling facilities will be set up on
a public-private-partnership mode across the country.
New Delhi, April 29 -- The Environment Ministry has decided to launch a scheme for recycling electronic waste. Recycling facilities will be set up on
a public-private-partnership mode across the country.
"The Central and the state governments will pay 25 per cent each and the rest of the cost would be borne by the private player," Environment and
Forest minister Jairam Ramesh told HT. Under the scheme, re-cycling hubs will be developed in major cities to re-use waste electronic parts. The
scheme is also aimed at bringing the informal sector, scattered in residential colonies, under the ambit of some regulation.
The announcement comes a day after the ministry notified draft rules for regulating electronic waste, fixing responsibility upon each player - pollution
control boards, manufacturers, retail dealers, consumers and recyclers.
The pollution boards will have to certify agencies authorised collection centres, which will receive electronic waste from dealers, manufacturers,
retailers and consumers.
Manufacturers, who can also set up collection centres, would have to provide an unique identification number on equipment to track the product and
must have a provision for collecting the "end of life" products. Each electronic appliance retailer will have to provide a demarcated area to collect
e-waste and cannot refuse to take back a used appliance it had sold. Only those registered with the Central Pollution Control Board will be allowed to
do business and will be liable for penalty in case of any damage to environment or health of workers.
HT Media LTD
Mait Welcomes Draft E-Waste Rules

April 28, 2010

Bangalore, April. 28 -- Indian IT hardware industry today welcomed the draft proposal on ''e-waste (Management and Handling Rules, 2010
proposed by Union Minister of State for Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh. IT hardware national body MAIT today said putting the draft rules
in the public domain was part of the government's process of rule making. They shall remain in the pubic domain for receiving comments from the
public and stakeholders for a period of two months. Welcoming the rules, MAIT Executive Director, Vinnie Mehta said, the recently announced new
set of rules for environmentally sound management of e-waste was the need of the hour. ''E-waste is one of the world's fastest growing waste streams
and with increased consumption of IT and electronics products, India will soon be faced with the challenges of managing the same,'' she said.
Currently, an estimated 3,80,000 metric tonnes of e-waste was generated annually in India. To address the issue of e-waste, MAIT along with GTZ,
Greenpeace and Toxicslink had recommended to the Government a set of draft rules in August 2009, a MAIT press release said. Published by HT
Syndication with permission from United News of India. For more information on news feed please contact Sarabjit Jagirdar at
Govt to decide rules for e-waste disposal

Publication: Asian Age
Provider: Asian Age Holdings Ltd.
34 of 40 04-12-2010 19:33
April 26, 2010
Debarun Borthakur
The Asian Age
Every time you replace your old computer or mobile handset with a new model, what do you do with the old one? In today’s tech-savvy times, when
one cannot think of life without cellphones, laptops, iPods and other electronic devices, and most of us keep changing these devices after a few
months, what does one do with the unutilised electronic devices?
The recent years have seen a steep increase in the sale of electronic products in India, and going by the United Nations Environmental Programme
(UNEP), this has fuelled a rise in the percentage of e-waste generated in the country. According to estimation by ASSOCHAM (Associate Chambers
of Commerce and Industry in India), Delhi alone gets 25 per cent of e-waste generated worldwide through cheaper imports. And this has triggered
urgency to formulate an immediate law to curb e-wastes’ unauthorised disposal and recycling. “A major reason for the increase in the percentage of
e-waste in the country is because of import of ‘reusable second-hand products’ to the country (as stated by a circular issued by the Commerce
ministry in 1994). It was a justified circular as computers were expensive at that time in the country. But surprisingly, the circular is still valid as ever
even when the prices of computers are on a all time low in the country,” opines Abhishek Pratap, campaigner against e-waste of Greepeace India.
“We have been hearing that the government is planning to formulate a law to deal with this crisis. In fact, today there are 14 authorised recycling
organisations around the country for disposal and recycling of e-wastes along with guidelines by the management of e-wastes. And it’s expected that
various companies (which constitute a major chunk of the overall e-waste produced in the city) would get in touch with these organisations for
matters concerning e-wastes and its authorised disposal,” opines Satish Sinha, associate director of Toxic Link.
ASSOCHAM stated in 2008 that over 6,000 children in the age group of 10 to 15 are engaged in various e-waste recycling activities in the capital and
if some concrete step is not taken, it would lead to serious health-related problems.
“Child labour is very rampant in Delhi’s unauthorised recycling yards. Most of these children are migrants from Bihar, Chattisgarh and Uttar Pradesh.
Areas like Silampur, Shahadra, Mayapuri have many unauthorised yards,” adds Abhishek.
Garage recyclers of e-waste are the new threat

April 22, 2010

/td> Jagadish Angadi, Bangalore, April 21, DH News Service: Thursday, April 22, 2010 -->
Backyard practitioners of e-waste pose a new and dangerous threat to the City’s fragile ecology and community health, revealed a survey.
Obnoxious gases like oxides of nitrogen and sulphur are released in the air while the unorganised sector recycle the e-waste, says Prof Keshav
Bulbule involved in the survey conducted by India's first e-waste recycling unit E-Parisaraa.
Other poisonous gases are released in air when they recover gold using mercury. Later, they discharge effluents in water bodies. They don't adopt
chemical method for recycling. Such pollution leads to health disorders, especially respiratory disorders, survey disclosed.
,,There is a big trading chain of backyard practitioners (also known as informal / unorganised e-waste recyclers) of e-waste. There is a unholy nexus
between government officers, e-waste suppliers and backyard practioners. They flout norms and indulge in recycling process at the cost of
environment, eco system, pure soil and water," says E-Parisaraa director P Parthasarathy. The City has approximately 4,000 backyard practioners
who operate in small, ill-ventilated and congested rooms, claiming to be scrap dealers. Till recently, Goripalya near Mysore Road was the centre of
informal recycling but now the trade has spread out to areas like Shivajinagar, Frazer Town, DJ Halli, KG Halli, Tannery Road and Bommanahalli to
evade monitoring by environmental organisations and Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB).
There only three authorised E-waste recycling units in the State-all in Bangalore. ,,There is huge quantity of E-waste with the government
departments. No one knows where e-waste generated by government offices goes as none of the three units receive any," says Parthasarathy.
About 11,000 tonnes of e-waste is generated by non-household sources (computers, mouses, etc), while about 18 kg e-waste is generated by every
individual (refrigerators, fans, etc) belonging to middle-class a year. Around 54,000 tonnes of such is generated by middle class alone in a year.
Informal recyclers buy e-waste through brokers, in violation of the Ministry of Environment and Forest's norm which says e-waste generated by any
source should go to authorised recyclers.
About 95 per cent of the e-waste is recycled by the backyard practioners, while authorised recyclers recycle the rest. Authorised recyclers follow
eco-friendly methods, recycle metals and put them back in cycle.
Brain teasers, campaigns to create awareness
It is the 40th anniversary of the World Earth Day on Thursday. Many IT companies in Bangalore City are celebrating the Day to spread awareness on
environmental issues. Cisco is hosting awareness sessions on rain water harvesting, organic farming and wildlife conservation. It is also initiating a
global campaign, `Think Green, Act Green Pledge' for Cisco employees this year. For every pledge made from April 19 to May 2, Cisco will donate
$1 (up to a maximum donation of $10,000) to water.org - committed to providing safe drinking water and sanitation in developing countries.
Yahoo! plans to educate people by providing `brain teasers' such as `why do ladybugs have spots?' It will also be tracking the most popular 'green'
searches, to know what environmental issues are on people's mind this Earth Day.
Finally a law to tackle mounting e-waste in India
35 of 40 04-12-2010 19:33

April 22, 2010

New Delhi, April. 22 -- India is finally set to have a law which can tackle head on the mounting problem of electronic waste dumped in the country.
"The provisions of the new law could be such as could effectively monitor the trade in electronic waste and reduce illegal imports," Ravi Agarwal,
director of Toxics Link, said in an interview. He did not rule out a provision for penalty, which has been difficult to implement so far due to legal
hassles. Toxics Link is a front-ranking NGO which is part of a coalition of NGOs and a member of several international networks, like the ELCINA
Electronic Industries Association of India and the Manufacturers Association for IT, which is represented on most Indian government forums and
works for the advancement of the IT industry in India. According to Toxics Link, India generates around 400,000 tonnes of e-waste annually. This
estimation includes only waste from equipment like computers, TVs and mobile phones. The quantum would be much bigger if other equipment like
printers, refrigerators, washing machines and small household appliances were included. Most large cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai
and Kolkata are large generators of this waste. Even smaller cities and towns are beginning to add a lot of e-waste, according to Toxics Link. "Illegal
importers bring electronic waste into the country in shipments under misleading labels as 'reusable electronic goods' or 'second hand computers,"
Agarwal told IANS. "It is virtually impossible to check each individual consignment in the shipments as there are so many seaports and customs do
not have any proper scanning or other infrastructure in place." India and other developing countries like China, Nigeria, South Korea, Malaysia,
Mexico, Vietnam and Brazil are literally being dumped with e-waste even though there is a clear government ban on import of such waste in India
under the Basel Convention, the most comprehensive global environmental agreement on hazardous and other wastes. But the government is tackling
the e-waste problem. "The government has been extremely open to suggestions and have taken all our concerns on board and will soon come out
with draft rules which will ultimately become law," Ravi said. The government does have clear guidelines to deal with e-waste. "But the guidelines of
the Central Pollution Control Board are voluntary in nature," he said. "The producers and users are free to dispose of e-waste in any manner and
hence most of this toxic waste flows to the informal sector where there are no occupational and environment safety norms," he said. "But the new
rules should change all this, as both these stakeholders will be made responsible for their waste and could be penalised for violating norms laid down
in the rules. Depending on the final rules notified, there might also be restrictions on use of hazardous material in products. The e-waste rules will be
notified under the Environment Protection Act (EPA). The EPA is an act for overall environment protection, but it does not specify norms for
handling and management of each kind of waste," he said. "The proposed Draft Rules (by Toxics Link and partners) do suggest stricter measures for
controlling and monitoring the waste trade and should be able to reduce illegal imports," Agarwal told IANS. The government will soon issue the draft
rules, inviting public opinion, following which the final law will come into effect, he said. (Anindya Rai Verman can be contacted at
anindya.v@ians.in) Published by HT Syndication with permission from Indo-Asian News Service. For more information on news feed please contact
Sarabjit Jagirdar at htsyndication@hindustantimes.com
India passes law to tackle e-waste

April 22, 2010
India is finally set to have a law which can tackle head on the mounting problem of electronic waste dumped in the country.
"The provisions of the new law could be such as could effectively monitor the trade in electronic waste and reduce illegal imports," Ravi Agarwal,
director of Toxics Link, said in an interview.
He did not rule out a provision for penalty, which has been difficult to implement so far due to legal hassles.
Toxics Link is a front-ranking NGO which is part of a coalition of NGOs and a member of several international networks, like the ELCINA Electronic
Industries Association of India and the Manufacturers Association for IT, which is represented on most Indian government forums and works for the
advancement of the IT industry in India.
According to Toxics Link, India generates around 400,000 tonnes of e-waste annually. This estimation includes only waste from equipment like
computers, TVs and mobile phones.
The quantum would be much bigger if other equipment like printers, refrigerators, washing machines and small household appliances were included.
Most large cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai and Kolkata are large generators of this waste. Even smaller cities and towns are beginning
to add a lot of e-waste, according to Toxics Link.
"Illegal importers bring electronic waste into the country in shipments under misleading labels as 'reusable electronic goods' or 'second hand
computers," Agarwal told IANS. "It is virtually impossible to check each individual consignment in the shipments as there are so many seaports and
customs do not have any proper scanning or other infrastructure in place."
India and other developing countries like China, Nigeria, South Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, Vietnam and Brazil are literally being dumped with e-waste
even though there is a clear government ban on import of such waste in India under the Basel Convention, the most comprehensive global
environmental agreement on hazardous and other wastes.
But the government is tackling the e-waste problem. "The government has been extremely open to suggestions and have taken all our concerns on
board and will soon come out with draft rules which will ultimately become law," Ravi said.
The government does have clear guidelines to deal with e-waste. "But the guidelines of the Central Pollution Control Board are voluntary in nature,"
he said.
"The producers and users are free to dispose of e-waste in any manner and hence most of this toxic waste flows to the informal sector where there
are no occupational and environment safety norms," he said.
"But the new rules should change all this, as both these stakeholders will be made responsible for their waste and could be penalised for violating
norms laid down in the rules. Depending on the final rules notified, there might also be restrictions on use of hazardous material in products.
36 of 40 04-12-2010 19:33
The e-waste rules will be notified under the Environment Protection Act (EPA). The EPA is an act for overall environment protection, but it does not
specify norms for handling and management of each kind of waste," he said.
"The proposed Draft Rules (by Toxics Link and partners) do suggest stricter measures for controlling and monitoring the waste trade and should be
able to reduce illegal imports," said Agarwal.
The government will soon issue the draft rules, inviting public opinion, following which the final law will come into effect, he said.
Rules for e-waste on May 15, Elders told

Publication: Pioneer
April 21, 2010

New Delhi, April 20 -- The Government will come out with a set of rules on May 15 to manage electronic waste (e-waste), Union Environment
Minister Jairam Ramesh informed the Rajya Sabha on Monday. He said the new rules will have public-private partnership (PPP) and focus on
recycling of useful material and destroying toxic waste. Stating this, he informed the Elders that the Government had carried out a detailed study on
the challenges posed by e-waste as India was also increasingly using computers and mobiles. At present, there were 14 facilities to take care of
e-waste, he said adding more than 90 per cent of the waste was handled by the informal sector. Given this scenario, the Government and bodies like
Central Pollution Control Board(CPCB) had no control over these units. The Minister said the new set of regulations would be unveiled on May 15
and described it as a major step forward to check this menace. The regulations would follow PPP model and was studying financial mechanism for
such system, he said. Published by HT Syndication with permission from Pioneer. For more information on news feed please contact Sarabjit Jagirdar
at htsyndication@hindustantimes.com
Stringent e-waste disposal rules by May 15: Ramesh

April 20, 2010
NEW DELHI: With illegal recycling of used electronic goods like mobile phones and computers posing a big environmental and health hazard, the
government for the first time will now come out with stringent regulations for management and disposal of e-waste.
"We will make the separate set of rules for e-waste management public by May 15,'' said environment and forest minister Jairam Ramesh in Rajya
Sabha on Monday.
Around 85-90% of the recycling of electronic equipment is done in the informal or unorganised sector in areas like Moradabad in Uttar Pradesh,
Dharavi slums in Mumbai and Seelampur in Delhi. "These are illegal facilities'' but "no government has dared take action against them'' since they
generate huge employment, he said.
The minister said he was also personally against allowing import of second-hand computers in the name of charity since they contributed to the
e-waste problem. "We are going to take a tough stand against this,'' he said.
With the aim to help the recycling in the unorganised sector transform into an organised one, the government has put in place "a financing
mechanism'' for establishing facilities for treatment, storage and disposal of e-waste. Under it, while the Centre and state government would
contribute 25% each, the rest would come from private entrepreneurs, said Ramesh.
Surveys estimate that 1.47 lakh tonnes of e-waste was generated in the country in 2005, which is expected to increase to about 8 lakh tonnes by
2012. Moreover, around 50,000 tonnes of e-waste is being imported or dumped in the country, he said.
Govt To Come Out With Rules For E-Waste Management By May 15

April 20, 2010

New Delhi, April. 19 -- For the first time in the country, the Government will come out with a separate set of rules for the management of e-waste by
May 15. Union Minister for Environment Jairam Ramesh announced in the Rajya Sabha today during Question Hour that the government was coming
up with a major step of formulating a separate set of guidelines for the management of e-waste. The new rules were under the vetting process by the
Law Ministry and will be made public by May 15, he added. The Minister also disclosed that facilities will be set up in various states for treating
e-waste. The financing mechanism will be under PPP with 25 per cent of the funds to be provided by the Centre, 25 per cent by the state government
and 50 per cent by private companies. The Minister acknowledged that e-waste was becoming a challenge for the country to deal with. ''We should
recycle the e-waste to remove the toxic waste and regenerate useful materials like gold and silver leading to employment. This was already being
37 of 40 04-12-2010 19:33
done in the western nations,'' he said. Mr Ramesh also asserted he was against the import of computers for charity purposes which then became
e-waste. ''We must be clear what is imported by our country,'' he stressed. Published by HT Syndication with permission from United News of India.
For more information on news feed please contact Sarabjit Jagirdar at htsyndication@hindustantimes.com
Business - E-Waste Disposal Rules Within A Month: Govt

Publication: Press Trust of India - News
Provider: Press Trust of India
April 19, 2010 (13:32)

New Delhi, Apr 19 (PTI) With illegal recycling of used electronic goods like mobile phone and computer posing environmental and health hazard, the
Government will in less than a month come out with e-waste management and disposal rules.
Replying to supplementaries during Question Hour, Environment and Forest Minister Jairam Ramesh told the Rajya Sabha that he was personally
against import of second hand computers in the name of charity as this "e-waste" posed danger to environment and human health.
He, however, did not say if a ban on import of used electronic equipments like computers would form part of the e-waste management guidelines.
Computers, mobile phones and other electronic gadgets become e-waste at the end of their life cycle, he said.
"For the first, Government is coming out with rules for managing e-waste... we will make them public by May 15," Ramesh said, adding the rules
would prescribe regulations for management of e-waste.
Currently, he said, 85-90 per cent of recycling of electronic equipment like mobile phone is done in informal or unorganised sector in cities like
Moradabad in Uttar Pradesh and Seelampur in the national capital.
"These are illegal facilities" as neither the Central Government nor Central Pollution Control Board has any control on them, he said. As units such as
in Dharavi slums in Mumbai, generate huge employment, "no government has dared to take action against them."
"No action has been taken by Central or state governments on mushrooming of recycling units in informal sector," he said.
The Government wants to make unorganised sector become much organised in following pollution norms, he said adding Centre and state
governments will provide 50 per cent of the funds for setting up of facilities for treatment, storage and disposal of e-wastes.
The remaining 50 per cent is to come from private entrepreneurs. While gold, silver, plastic, glass and steel can be recycled from electronic goods,
hazardous items like lead, cadmium and mercury should not be recycled.
On the issue of Cobalt-60 found in a scrap market here, he said it was a radioactive material not covered under the Hazardous Waste (Management,
Handling and Trans-boundary Movement) Rules framed by MoEF. "Radioactive waste is covered by Atomic Energy Act," he said.
Ramesh said based on a survey carried by CPCB, it was estimated that 1.47 lakh tons of e-waste was generated in the country in 2005, which is
expected to increase to about 8 lakh tons by 2012. Besides, some 50,000 tons of e-waste was being illegally imported or dumped in the country, he
said.
Source:- Business
"Data Provider disclaimer and copyright notice:
© [2006] The Press Trust of India Ltd (PTI) or its Licensors. This is the "Internet Securities, Inc. (trading as ISI Emerging Markets TM) " service which includes content provided by PTI (PTI Content). PTI reserves all rights,
including copyright, in the PTI Content. The information, text and images that form part of the PTI Content are for personal use only and may not be re-written, copied, re-sold or re-distributed, framed, linked or otherwise used
whether for compensation of any kind or not, without the prior written permission of PTI.
The subscriber will honour editorial advisories including but not limited to kill notes, corrections, embargoes, hold etc. that may be issued from time to time.
PTI Content is published for information only without assuming a duty of care. PTI is not in the business of providing professional advice, and gives no warranty, guarantee or other representation about the accuracy of the
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E-waste disposal rules within a month: Govt

April 19, 2010

/td> New Delhi, Apr 19, (PTI): Monday, April 19, 2010 -->
With illegal recycling of used electronic goods like mobile phone and computer posing environmental and health hazard, the Government will in
less than a month come out with e-waste management and disposal rules.
Replying to supplementaries during Question Hour, Environment and Forest Minister Jairam Ramesh told the Rajya Sabha that he was personally
against import of second hand computers in the name of charity as this "e-waste" posed danger to environment and human health.
He, however, did not say if a ban on import of used electronic equipments like computers would form part of the e-waste management guidelines.
Computers, mobile phones and other electronic gadgets become e-waste at the end of their life cycle, he said. "For the first, Government is coming
out with rules for managing e-waste... we will make them public by May 15," Ramesh said, adding the rules would prescribe regulations for
management of e-waste.
Currently, he said, 85-90 per cent of recycling of electronic equipment like mobile phone is done in informal or unorganised sector in cities like
Moradabad in Uttar Pradesh and Seelampur in the national capital. "These are illegal facilities" as neither the Central Government nor Central
Pollution Control Board has any control on them, he said. As units such as in Dharavi slums in Mumbai, generate huge employment, "no government
has dared to take action against them."
"No action has been taken by Central or state governments on mushrooming of recycling units in informal sector," he said. The Government wants to
make unorganised sector become much organised in following pollution norms, he said adding Centre and state governments will provide 50 per cent
of the funds for setting up of facilities for treatment, storage and disposal of e-wastes.
The remaining 50 per cent is to come from private entrepreneurs. While gold, silver, plastic, glass and steel can be recycled from electronic goods,
hazardous items like lead, cadmium and mercury should not be recycled.? On the issue of Cobalt-60 found in a scrap market here, he said it was a
radioactive material not covered under the Hazardous Waste (Management, Handling and Trans-boundary Movement) Rules framed by MoEF.
"Radioactive waste is covered by Atomic Energy Act," he said.
38 of 40 04-12-2010 19:33
Ramesh said based on a survey carried by CPCB, it was estimated that 1.47 lakh tons of e-waste was generated in the country in 2005, which is
expected to increase to about 8 lakh tons by 2012. Besides, some 50,000 tons of e-waste was being illegally imported or dumped in the country, he
said.
India : E-waste disposal rules within a month

Provider: Al Bawaba
April 19, 2010

With illegal recycling of used electronic goods like mobile phone and computer posing environmental and health hazard, the Government will in less
than a month come out with e-waste management and disposal rules. Replying to supplementaries during Question Hour, Environment and Forest
Minister Jairam Ramesh told the Rajya Sabha that he was personally against import of second hand computers in the name of charity as this
"e-waste" posed danger to environment and human health. He, however, did not say if a ban on import of used electronic equipments like computers
would form part of the e-waste management guidelines. Computers, mobile phones and other electronic gadgets become e-waste at the end of their
life cycle, he said.
Separate rules for e-waste disposal by May 15: Ramesh

April 19, 2010

New Delhi, April. 19 -- The government will specify by May 15 a separate set of regulations for disposal of e-waste, parliament was informed
Monday. "Disposal of e-waste is becoming an increasingly important challenge for the government. Therefore, there is a need to take more
precautionary measures. We will have a separate set of rules for this by May 15," Minister of State for Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh said
during question hour in the Rajya Sabha. He was responding to a supplementary question on the steps taken by the government to ensure proper
disposal of e-waste. He also admitted to two major lacunae in the existing provisions. "Hitherto, there were no separate regulations for the disposal of
e-waste as this was governed by the rules relating to disposal of hazardous waste. This has been addressed by a separate set of rules," he said. More
importantly, "some 85-90 percent of e-waste disposal is done in the unorganised sector, in cities like Moradabad and others, over which the Central
Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has no control". "The answer lies in bringing the unorganised sector into the formal sector," Ramesh pointed out. "I
myself have seen in Dharavi (Asia's largest slum in Mumbai) a flourishing recycling industry which no government has the courage to control as it
would lead to an enormous loss of jobs," he added. Ramesh noted in this context that under the public-private-partnership model, 14 facilities would
be created for proper treatment, storage and disposal of e-waste. "India is both an importer and exporter of e-waste. Once the new rules are in place
and we take a clear and tough stance on the disposal of e-waste, these will send a strong signal that we are serious about this. "I would appeal to
members to support the government's efforts for the proper disposal of e-waste and not complain about jobs being lost (when units in the unorganised
sector are shut down)," Ramesh added. Replying to the main question on whether the government was aware that e-waste was directly affecting the
environment, he said: "Based on a survey carried out by the CPCB, it is estimated that 1.47 lakh tonnes of e-waste was generated in the country and
is expected to increase to about 8 lakh tonnes by 2012." He also deprecated the tendency to import second-hand computers and other electronic
goods "in the name of charity". "This eventually finds its way into the disposal markets in the unorganised sector," Ramesh pointed out. Published by
HT Syndication with permission from Indo-Asian News Service. For more information on news feed please contact Sarabjit Jagirdar at
Separate rules for e-waste disposal by May 15: Ramesh

April 19, 2010

New Delhi, April. 19 -- The government will specify by May 15 a separate set of regulations for disposal of e-waste, parliament was informed
Monday. "Disposal of e-waste is becoming an increasingly important challenge for the government. Therefore, there is a need to take more
precautionary measures. We will have a separate set of rules for this by May 15," Minister of State for Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh said
during question hour in the Rajya Sabha. He was responding to a supplementary question on the steps taken by the government to ensure proper
disposal of e-waste. He also admitted to two major lacunae in the existing provisions. "Hitherto, there were no separate regulations for the disposal of
e-waste as this was governed by the rules relating to disposal of hazardous waste. This has been addressed by a separate set of rules," he said. More
importantly, "some 85-90 percent of e-waste disposal is done in the unorganised sector, in cities like Moradabad and others, over which the Central
Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has no control". "The answer lies in bringing the unorganised sector into the formal sector," Ramesh pointed out. "I
myself have seen in Dharavi (Asia's largest slum in Mumbai) a flourishing recycling industry which no government has the courage to control as it
would lead to an enormous loss of jobs," he added. Ramesh noted in this context that under the public-private-partnership model, 14 facilities would
be created for proper treatment, storage and disposal of e-waste. "India is both an importer and exporter of e-waste. Once the new rules are in place
and we take a clear and tough stance on the disposal of e-waste, these will send a strong signal that we are serious about this. "I would appeal to
members to support the government's efforts for the proper disposal of e-waste and not complain about jobs being lost (when units in the unorganised
sector are shut down)," Ramesh added. Replying to the main question on whether the government was aware that e-waste was directly affecting the
environment, he said: "Based on a survey carried out by the CPCB, it is estimated that 1.47 lakh tonnes of e-waste was generated in the country and
is expected to increase to about 8 lakh tonnes by 2012." He also deprecated the tendency to import second-hand computers and other electronic
goods "in the name of charity". "This eventually finds its way into the disposal markets in the unorganised sector," Ramesh pointed out. Published by
HT Syndication with permission from Indo-Asian News Service. For more information on news feed please contact Sarabjit Jagirdar at
Any redistribution of this information is strictly prohibited.

Copyright © 2001 - 2010 Internet Securities, Inc. (trading as ISI Emerging Markets), all rights reserved.
39 of 40 04-12-2010 19:33
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