International Conference on Eco Industrial Parks

E-Waste Management in India

Ulrike Killguss, GTZ, Indo-German Environment Programme

7th July 2009

Overview

01 Challenges and Current Practices

02 GTZ Initiatives in e-Waste Management

03 Establishing an e-Waste Management System

04 Building Blocks of the Management System

05 E-Waste and Industrial Parks – A Case Study

06 The Way Ahead

Challenges and Current Practices

Challenges and Current PracticesElectronics industry is the fastest growing manufacturing industry todayE-waste is one of the fastest growing waste streams worldwide (rapid growth and obsolescence, short innovation cycles)Rapidly increasing e-waste volumes (domestic and imports)Low recovery of materials due to rudimentary processes (loss of resources) Low level of awareness of the hazards of incorrect recycling and disposalLittle or no data and information on e-waste generation, imports and exports

Challenges and Current PracticesE-waste processing in India is highly complex and mostly managed by a very well networked informal sector

Release of toxics into air, water and soil

Health concerns to the workers involved directly in such operationsLoss of revenue to state as these recycling centres are not covered under any regulation

Disproportionate sharing of profits between the actors of the recycling chain

“Cherry-Picking” - only valuable waste is recycled while less valuable waste is dumped and causes pollution

E-Trade Cycle in Delhi

Key Players

Domestic Manufacturer ImportsOfficial

Relatives or Friends

Exchanged with vendor for higher

configuration

Donated to institutions

Auctioned to Vendors

Vendor Lobby

Upgraded for Resale

Scrap Dealer

After Use

Dismantler

Plastic Extractor

Electronic Item Extractor

Metal Extractor

End User Landfill, Water Body, Air (Disposal)

Extractors/Recyclers

Consumer

Dismantling of e-Waste

Copper extraction using acids

Burning of PCBs to extract copper

Breaking cathode ray tubes (CRTs)

Precious metal recovery

Hazardous work environment

E-Waste Management Approaches

Industrialized CountriesThrough (large) recycling companiesCapital intensiveEnvironmentally safeHighly controlledVery expensive

Industrializing CountriesMainly through informal sectorLabour intensiveOften polluting, unsafe, unhealthyNot very controlledSelf financed

GTZ Initiatives in e-Waste Management

Assessments / Studies / Concept Notes

E-waste Assessment Studies: National Level, Delhi, Bangalore and Kolkata (in progress)

Assessment of occupational health and safety of informal e-waste recycling sector

Concept Paper on models / strategies for sustainable management of e-waste in India

Level 1

Level 2

Level 3

Potential Annual e-Waste: 382,979 MT• Imports: 50,000 MT• Computers: 56,324 MT • Mobiles: 1,655 MT•Televisions: 2,75,000 MT

e-Waste Processed:19,000 MT• Computers: 12,000 MT •Televisions: 7,000 MT• Mobiles: negligible

Total e-Waste available for recycling: 144,143 MT• Imports: 50,000 MT• Computers: 24,000 MT • Mobiles: 143 MT •Televisions: 70,000 MT

Source: MAIT-GTZ, 2007

Estimation of E-Waste in India

Of this, 95% is recycled by the informal sector and only 5% by formal recyclers

MT = Metric Tons

Total e-waste generated in India in 2007 (Computers, Mobiles, Televisions, Imports)

Capacity Building and Training

Profitable Environmental Management Training (PREMA) carried out with informal recyclers

Capacity Building of informal sector, association building and formalization of informal groups (safe recycling practices, support in obtaining government clearances, information on basic human rights)

Linking of newly formalized groups (previous informal sector) to formal recyclers (collection, segregation and dismantling)

Highlight: • Three groups have been formalised in Bangalore which are setting up recycling facilities • One large fomalised associtation in Delhi is collectinge-waste and supplying a formal recyler

Recycling in the Informal Sector

CollectionSegregation

& DismantlingRecycling

Model for E-Waste Management in India

Formal e-Waste Recycler

DismantlingCollection & Segregation Recycling

Formalised „informal Sector“

Improved Recycling Capacity

Facilitation and technical support for setting up formal recyclers units throughout the country

Support to government in selection process for formal recyclers

Highlight: E-Parisaraa• India first formal e-waste recycling facility (ISO 14001:2004 certified)

• Set up in collaboration with GTZ and EMPA

• Safe methods of dismantling e-waste

• Process of recycling involves non-incineration technology -manual dismantling, segregation, shredding, crushing, pulverising and density separation

Stakeholder Engagement

Formation of national level working group on e-waste in 2004

Formation of the E-Waste Agency (EWA) in Bangalore in May 2005 (brings together industry, government and NGOs to work together on a sustainable e-waste management strategy)

Multi-Stakeholder Dialogues (industry, industry associations, government and NGOs) as a common platform for discussion and consensus building for sustainable management systems, extended producer responsibility and CSR

Policy Advice

Support in drafting “Guidelines for Environmentally Sound Management of Electronic Waste” (2008)

Support in draft legislation on “Environmentally Sound Management of Electronic Waste” which was first presented to public for comments and has now been submitted to government for further action

Establishing an e-Waste Management System

Establishing the Management System

The various steps in providing a new direction to e-wastemanagement system in India include:

Conceptualising and defining the necessary building blocks for a proper e-waste management modelCreating a broad consensus amongst the various stakeholders of e-waste management system about the viability of the proposed EPR modelsImplementation of the EPR modelLegislation based on regular monitoring and evaluation of the model

EPR = Extended Producer Responsibility

Establishing the Management System

Objective: to evolve a sustainable solution for managing e-waste in India

Such a management system would provide:A convenient collection and disposal system for large and small consumers to return all their e-waste safely.A mandatory system for all producers to care for their product beyond its useful life.A regulated system where all stakeholders have clearly defined roles and responsibilities, adhering strictly to existing environmental and social legislation.

Building Blocks of the Management System

Building Blocks

1. Legal Framework

– Extended Producer’s Responsibility (EPR) – All Stakeholder Participation and Coordination – Questions to be kept in mind:

• What is the goal of the legislation?• What is the scope of the legislation? • Who is responsible? (Allocating responsibilities)• How is the system financed? (if additional finances are

needed)• Setting collection and recycling targets• Monitoring and compliance

Building Blocks2. Secure Financing: What needs to be financed?

All e-waste is not profitable, some e-waste is not branded, inherent value depends on market prices, operational costs, components used in technology, legislation

Every step of the recycling chain, i.e. collection, transport, separation of fractions (manual or automatic) and material recovery, induces a cost or a profit

Creating awareness, controlling and running such a system also have a cost

Every component of the system needs to have its financing secured

Building Blocks

3. Awareness and Education

Awareness among all stakeholders is very critical for any changeto be effective and meet its desired objective

The Producers will also need to play their part in educating theconsumers regarding – the e-waste management system– product constituents– handling precautions– responsibility of the producers in changed situation

E-Waste and Industrial Parks- A Case Study

Clean E-Waste Channel at ELCIA

ELCIA (Electronics City Industry Association) in Bangalore is home to several of the biggest electronic products brands as well as large users, with over 150 member companies having around 60,000 staff.

Through support of GTZ and EMPA, ELCIA and its members, predominantly from the software sector, have taken a unilateral lead in tackling the e-waste problem:

−Awareness programs conducted in Electronics City (2006)−Formulation of a ' Code of Conduct' for the companies in Electronics City defining their commitment towards proper e-waste management (2007)

−Creation of an e-waste collection centre inside the Electronics City

−The waste collected is then handled over to E-Parisaraa, an authorized e-waste recycler

The Way Ahead

The Way Ahead

Present traditional system of e-waste collection in the traditional sector should continue:

-Evolution of standards for recycling operations-Fiscal incentives to promote recycling

Extended producer responsibility (EPR)-Buy back schemes / Fixed recycling prices-Flexible refund schemes / Definition of responsibilities

Prevention of hazardous substances in products

Ban imports of e-waste

Incentives for state-of-the-art facilities for recycling

For More Information

Indo-European-e-Waste Initiative http://www.ieewaste.org/

Indo-German-Swiss e-Waste Initiativehttp://www.e-waste.in/

E-Waste Agencyhttp://www.ewa.co.in/

E-Parisaraa (First formal e-Waste recycler in India)http://www.ewasteindia.in/

E-Waste Info Guidehttp://ewasteguide.info/

Electronics City Industrial Association (ELCIA)http://www.elcia.in/ewaste

Short Video Clip

Funnel Approach for E-Waste Estimation

Level 1

Level 2

Level 3

Potential Annual e-Waste• Products at the end of active life which either get stacked inside warehouses/store rooms • Products that are not sold by consumers because of inappropriate resale value or are used for lower level application

e-Waste Processed•Disposed electronic products which are actually recycled and would include the dismantled parts and components of the electronic and electrical products

Total e-Waste available for recycling• Products that have been exchanged/ sold by their owners• Large quantities of the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment get refurbished, reused or relocated to smaller towns or villages