Introduction

With so many nations of the world driving on the road to economic development and technology ever advancing, the search for solutions to the e-waste problem is a multi-faceted endeavour. E-waste is a term used to cover almost all types of electrical and electronic equipment (EEE). The challenges in dealing with this type of waste continue to multiply simply because the market for such products just keeps expanding as countries cross the so-called digital divide. The Solving the E-waste Problem (StEP) Initiative is well positioned to make a difference towards the development and practical implementation of sustainable solutions. StEPs five Task Forces are advancing the e-waste agenda on many fronts. In this article we focus on one to demonstrate StEPs work. Task Force ReUse focuses on the development of replicable and sustainable re-use/refurbishment/spare parts development systems in order to minimize environmental, health and safety impacts especially in industrializing countries. The Task Force supports the development of globally consistent re-use practices, principles and standards for EEE products from business-to-business and business-to-consumer users that are economically, socially and environmentally appropriate. Re-use is a key part of the e-waste solutions toolkit. Its prominence in discussions can be explained as a response to the shortening of product lifespans that is leading to greater pressure on resource extraction and increased manufacturing burdens and to the burgeoning quantities of e-waste. The concept of re-use should therefore be viewed as being largely reactionary to the trend of products being disposed of much earlier than necessary and is about the optimization of the use phase. Re-use, then, is not a solution to the e-waste problem in its own right but seen as a means of alleviating, or moderating, the existing problems until such a time that products are utilized to a much more optimal level before being recycled in the most efficient means possible. However, the practice of electronics re-use also happens to generate another wide range of ancillary benefits. These range from providing employment and training opportunities for people with disabilities or the long-term unemployed to providing access to good equipment for people with low incomes in both the developed and the developing world helping to bridge the digital divide. It is also a major source of IT equipment for businesses and educational establishments in the developing world resulting in the promotion of vital economic development. Reuse also plays a significant role in the provision of spare parts for longlife and high-value equipment where the manufacturing of new parts may be rather expensive. The renewed focus on the availability of certain critical materials further strengthens the logic for considering re-use as a part of a business strategy.

what is e-waste
Electronic waste, e-waste, e-scrap, or waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) describes discarded electrical or electronic devices. There is a lack of consensus as to whether the term should apply to resale, reuse, and refurbishing industries, or only to a product that cannot be used for its intended purpose. Informal processing of electronic waste in developing countries may cause serious health and pollution problems, though these countries are also most likely to reuse and repair electronics. All electronic scrap components, such as CRTs, may contain contaminants such as lead, cadmium, beryllium, or brominated flame retardants. Even in developed countries recycling and disposal of e-waste may involve significant risk to workers and communities and great care must be taken to avoid unsafe exposure in recycling operations and leaching of material such as heavy metals from landfills and incinerator ashes. Scrap industry and USA EPA officials agree that materials should be managed with caution. E-waste is a popular, informal name for electronic products nearing the end of their "useful life." Computers, televisions, VCRs, stereos, copiers, and fax machines are common electronic products. Many of these products can be reused, refurbished, or recycled . Certain components of some electronic products contain materials that render them hazardous, depending on their condition and density. For instance, California law currently views nonfunctioning CRTs (cathode ray tubes) from televisions and monitor as hazardous. E-waste is a term used to cover almost all types of electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) that has or could enter the waste stream. Although e-waste is a general term, it can be considered to cover TVs, computers, mobile phones, white goods (e.g. fridges, washing machines, dryers etc), home entertainment and stereo systems, toys, toasters, kettles almost any household or business item with circuitry or electrical components with power or battery supply. "Electronic waste" may be defined as discarded computers, office electronic equipment, entertainment device electronics, mobile phones, television sets andrefrigerators. This definition includes used electronics which are destined for reuse, resale, salvage, recycling, or disposal. Others define the re-usables (working and repairable electronics) and secondary scrap (copper, steel, plastic, etc.) to be "commodities", and reserve the term "waste" for residue or material which is dumped by the buyer rather than recycled, including residue from reuse and recycling operations. Because loads of surplus electronics are frequently commingled (good, recyclable, and non-recyclable), several public policy advocates apply the term "e-waste"

broadly to all surplus electronics. Cathode ray tubes (CRT) are considered one of the hardest types to recycle.

Why is e-waste growing?

E-waste is growing exponentially simply because the markets in which these products are produced are also growing rapidly as many parts of the world cross over to the other side of the Digital Divide. For example, between 2000 and 2005, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development notes a 22% growth in Information and Communications Technology (ICT) in China . Furthermore, China was the 6th largest ICT market in 2006, after the US, Japan, Germany, UK and France. This is astounding when one considers that just ten years ago, under 1% of Chinas population owned a computer. Computers are only one part of the e-waste stream though, as we see that in the EU in 2005, fridges and other cooling and freezing appliances, combined with large household appliances, accounted for 44% of total e-waste, according to UNUs Study supporting the 2008 Review of the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive . Rapid product innovations and replacement, especially in ICT and office equipment, combined with the migration from analogue to digital technologies and to flat-screen TVs and monitors, for example, are fuelling the increase. Additionally, economies of scale have given way to lower prices for many electrical goods, which has increased global demand for many products that eventually end up as e-waste.

Types of e-waste
Following are types of E-waste that we are dealing with now-a-days Hard Drives Tapes Cartridges Circuit Boards Computers Printers Monitors TVs Electronic Scrap Wire & Cables CDs DVDs Floppy Drives Cell Phones Ink cartridges Toner cartridges Small to Medium Size Transformers Capacitors

Global scenario of E-waste management

Internationally, various legal frameworks havebeen enacted and enforced to regulate Ewaste.The Basel Convention on the Control of Trans -boundary Movements of Hazardous Waste and its Disposal plays a significant role in curbingthe E-waste trade from OECD countries to Non-O E C D c o u n t r i e s . T h e E U h a s t a k e n a l e a d t o protect the environment from hazards of E-wastein Europe by framing two important directives,W E E E d i r e c t i v e a n d R e s t r i c t i o n o f U s e o f C e r t a i n Hazardous Substances (RoHS) in Electrical and Electronic Equipment Regulations directives.Many countries have implemented WEEE Direc-tives (2002/96/EC) with detailed guidelines to as is the producers and consumers In understanding their duty to handle E-waste in environmentallysound manner : UK: Waste Electrical and Electronic Equip-ment, as derived from the WEEE directive,an EU directive, transcribed into UK legisl a t i o n a f t e r b e i n g p a s s e d b y P a r l i a m e n t i n 2 0 0 7 . T h e le g i s l a t i o n h a s p u t t h e r e s p o n s i - b i l i t y o f t h e r e p o r t i n g , f i n a n c i n g , a n d t r e a t - ment compliance obligations on the operators(private sector) of the producer complianceschemes, instead on each individual producer.Also, the operator is responsible for register-ing its members with the appropriate nationalr e g u l a t o r a n d f o r p r o v i d i n g t h e d e t a i l s o f e q u ip m e n t p r o d u c e d b y t h e m e m b e r s . T h e producers, preprocessors, and exporters need t o g e t r e g i s t e r e d w i t h t h e p r o d u c e r c o m p l i a n c e scheme by paying the fee, which can be usedas an operational cost for running the scheme.T h e n a t i o n a l r e g u l a t o r f i x e s t h e h o u s e h o l d WEEE quota for each producer compliancescheme. And the operator has to ensure thatthe WEEE allotted must be treated using bestavailable treatment, recovery, and recycling techniques. USA : US Environmental Protection Agencyhas initiated a green National Electronics Action Plan (NEAP) to address environmentalconcerns of electronics. The scope of NEAP is restricted to computers, televisions, and cell phones. However, USA have not

ratifiedthe Basel Convention. Also, there is no fed-eral legislation in place prohibiting or regulat-ing E-waste generation, disposal, and export.Meanwhile, in the last couple of years, manystates in USA have taken efforts for collec-tion and recycling of E-waste from residentialand commercial consumers in environmentalfriendly manner. Fifteen states have intro-duced the producer responsibility bills. Thestate of California has introduced a law forcollecting the Advance Recycling Fee (ARF)from the consumer at the time of purchase of new product. The system charges ARF rang-ing from US $6 to US $10 for electronic itemslike TVs, laptops, and monitors. P e o p l e s R e p u b l i c o f C h i n a : I n C h i n a , t h e electronic waste is regulated by the Administration of Control of Pollution caused by electronic information products.Accordingly, the designer and manufactures o f e l e c t r o n i c i n f o r m a t i o n p r o d u c t s a r e r e quired to design and manufacture electronicinformation products in accordance with thenational industrial standards. The administrat i o n a l s o p r o v i d e s f o r p e n a l t y f o r i m p o r t s , sellers, manufactures, and designer in case of noncompliance. The administration also hasp r o v i s i o n f o r p e n a l t y o n i m p o r t e r s , s e l l e r s , m a n u f a c t u r e s , a n d d e s i g n e r i n c a s e o f n o n - compliance of the laid-down standard.

Indian Scenario: E-waste scenario in India and its management

T h e p r o b l e m s a s s o c i a t e d w i t h E - w a s t e i n I n d i a started surfacing after the first phase of economicliberalization, after 1990. Due to the stiff competition in the market of brand, quality, price, and services offered between the various Indian and Foreign companies, the electronic and consumerdurable industry grew in India. Also, during thep o s t - l i b e r a l i z a t i o n e r a , d u e t o c h e a p e r r a t e a n d i n c r e a s e i n t h e purchasing capacity of the indi-viduals, there was a big boom for the e l e c t r o n i c goods industry in India, especially for the homeappliances (TV, refrigerator, washing machine,A C , o v e n s , e t c . ) , t e l e c o m , I T , a n d c o m - puters. Further, due to infrastructure reforms and e-governance, IT revolution in India is marked bythe application of information technology in a bigway in all areas. According to

TRAI, India added 113.26 million new cellular customers in 2008, with an average 9.5 million customers added every month.Cellular market grew from 168.11 million in 20032004 to 261.97 million in 20072008 . According to TRAI, India added 113.26 million new cellular customers in 2008, with an average 9.5 million customers added every month. Cellular market grew from 168.11 million in 20032004 to 261.97 million in 20072008.In 2006, microwave ovens and air conditioners registered a growth of about 25%. Refrigerator sales amounted to 4.2 millions in 20062007, and its production went up by 17% as compared to the preceding year. Washing machines, which havealways seen poor growth, have seen reasonable growth in 2006.

CREATION OF E-WASTES
By mobiles
While your trusty cell phone may not pack the same environmental punch as larger electronic devices such as TVs, you are likely to replace it far more often. A cell phones shelf life is only about 18 months for the average consumer. With new products coming out on a regular basis, its more important than ever to make sure you recycle the old one. Its estimated that there are more than 500 million used cell phones ready for recycling. Cell phone coatings are often made of lead, meaning that if these 500 million cell phones are disposed of in landfills, it would result in 312,000 pounds of lead sent to the landfill rather than being recovered in lead smelters. Cell phone batteries are typically composed of nickel and cadmium (Ni-Cd batteries). Cadmium alternatives contain lithium or lead. All of these are heavy metals that can potentially contaminate ground water, soil or surface water if they are mismanaged or sent to an improperly lined landfill, rather than recycled.

By ComputersComputers are part of daily life for most, but we dont tend to think about whats inside them very often. However, the materials housed within your PC or Mac are extremely important when it comes to how it is treated at the end of the line. For example, many laptops have a small fluorescent lamp in the screen that contains mercury, or use lithium ion rechargeable batteries. Also, lead is present in CRT computer monitors.

Circuit boards can also include mercury, lead and cadmium, as well as batteries made of mercury and mercury switches. These materials cause harm to the environment if they are mismanaged or disposed of in improperly lined landfills, which means it is important to find a responsible recycling solution when youre ready to get rid of your old computer equipment. Laptop sales - 44,000 units in 2001-02 to 850,000 units in 2006-07, with the last year growth of 97% so now imagine about the waste from these computers. The composition of toxic chemicals in an average computer of 31.5 kg

The PC industry celebrated its 35th year anniversary in 2010. From its humble beginning as hobby computer kits in the spring of 1975, the PC industry has come a long way. In 1975 less than 50,000 PCs were sold with a value of about $60M. From this limited start the PC industry has grown to unit sales of over 320M units in 2010. PC retail revenue topped $320B in 2010. The rapid success of the iPad and similar products is expected to increase total PC revenue in the next five years. The next table shows the tremendous growth of the PC industry in the last 35+ years. The new PC category defined by the iPad will give a strong growth boost for a few more years. The sheer size of the PC industry limits its growth rate, but the yearly worldwide sales will grow by over 36% in the next five yearsfrom 325M units in 2010 to nearly 517M in 2015 or a 9.8% compound annual growth rate. Worldwide number of PCs in-use surpassed 1.4B units in 2010 and will top 2.1B units by year-end 2015. Worldwide cumulative PC sales topped 1B units in 2002, 2B in 2007 and surpassed 3B in 2010and will pass 5B units in 2015. PCs in-use reached 296M in the U.S. in 2010 and will top 390M in 2015.

By Televisions-

Before there were plasma screen and liquid crystal display (LCD) TVs, we watched our Super Bowl games and sitcoms on cathode ray tubes (CRT). While the CRT model effectively provided room for all switches and wires in a box behind the screen, it also contained a great deal of lead. Approximately 20 percent of CRTs are comprised of lead, equivalent to between 4 and 8 pounds per unit. Combine this with the fact that, as of Feb. 19, 2009, the FCC requires that all televisions must run a digital signal, and we could be looking at a lot of lead that needs to be recycled. Even thesmallest amounts of lead, if mismanaged, can be a serious environmental issue. However, lead is also a valuable metal that can be separated from CRTs and recycled at lead smelters.

HEALTH IMPACT OF E-WASTE

The Electronic items are made of a multitude of components, some containing toxic substances that have an adverse impact on human health and the environment if not handled properly. Often, these hazards arise due to the improper recycling and disposal processes used. It can have serious repercussions for those in proximity to places where e-waste is recycled or burnt. Waste from the white and brown goods is less toxic as compared with grey goods. A computer contains highly toxic chemicals like lead, cadmium, mercury, beryllium, BFR, polyvinyl chloride and phosphor compounds.
Lead

exerts toxic effects on various systems in the body such as the central (organic affective syndrome) and peripheral nervous systems (motor neuropathy), the hemopoietic system (anemia), the genitourinary system (capable of causing damage to all parts of nephron) and the reproductive systems (male and female).
Mercury

causes damage to the genitourinary system (tubular dysfunction), the central and peripheral nervous systems as well as the fetus. When inorganic mercury spreads out in the water, it is transformed into methylated mercury, which bio-accumulates in living organisms and concentrates through the food chain, particularly by fish.

Cadmium

is a potentially long-term cumulative poison. Toxic cadmium compounds accumulate in the human body, especially in the kidneys. There is evidence of the role of cadmium and beryllium in carcinogenicity.
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH)

Affects lung, skin and bladder. Epidemiological studies in the past on occupational exposure to PAH provide sufficient evidence of the role of PAH in the induction of skin and lung cancers.

HAZARDSReproduction : damage to both male and female reproductive systems, including interfering with development of the testes; reduction in semen production and quality; abnormal morphology of sperm; low egg hatchability; and reduced fertility rates.

DNA : damage in lymphocytes, fetal and developmental toxicity; growth retardation; abnormal brain development, which can result in intellectual impairment; and possible long-term impacts on memory, learning and behaviour.

Nervous System: damage to the central nervous system (CNS) and blood system, including CNS depression and neurotoxicity; immune system suppression, including inhibition of a key blood cell enzyme.

Organs : damage to the brain, including swelling; liver, including liver necrosis; kidney, including renal toxicity; thyroid; pancreas; lymph nodes; spleen; and bone, including bone toxicity.

Skin : contact dermatitis; skin lesions; carcinogenic, including tumour promotion and lung cancer; anaemia; CBD (a currently-incurable, debilitating disease that can sometimes be fatal); and mortality.

Hormonal System : disruption to endocrine systems including the oestrogen, androgen, thyroid hormone, retinoid and corticosteroid systems; inhibition of human androgen hormone reception; and ability to mimic natural oestrogen hormones, leading to altered sexual development in some organisms.

Other: hypertension (high blood pressure); cardiovascular and heart disease; respiratory tract irritation, including irritation of the nose, mouth and eyes.

ORGANIZATIONS WORKING ON E-WASTE ISSUES WITHIN INDIA

1. Knowledge bank for e-waste management in India

The Asia Pro Ecoprogramme supported by the European Commission is dedicated to the environmental performance in Asian Economic sectors through the exchange of environmental policies, technologies and practices and to promote sustainable investment and trade between the European Union Member States and South Asia, South-East Asia and China.
2. The E-waste Guide, India

An Initiative of the IndoGermanSwiss Partnership [Ministry of Environment and Forests, German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development and Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs] It is designed to serve as an information resource on e-waste as well as a common collaborative work platform for stakeholders.
3. National Solid Waste Association of India (NSWAI)

A leading professional non-profit organization in the field of solid-waste management, including toxic and hazardous waste and also biomedical waste in India. It was formed in 1996. Its objectives include development of solid-waste management as a profession, research and development, development of expertise, standards and goods practices with regards to solidwaste management. Some of the others include improvement in legislation and creating awareness and community involvement.
4. Toxics Link

A Delhi-based environment activist group with a mission of working for environmental justice and freedom from toxics. It is also actively involved in creating public awareness on

environmental issues through publications, reports, articles and environment news bulletins besides organizing various events. 5. Others are stEP Workweb, WEEE Forum, Clean India, Indian Environmental Society, INDIA HABITAT CENTRE and Microbial Biotechnology Area of Tata Energy Research Institute.

Amount of electronic wastes worldwide

Rapid changes in technology, changes in media (tapes, software, MP3), falling prices, and planned obsolescence have resulted in a fast-growing surplus of electronic waste around the globe. Dave Kruch, CEO of Cash For Laptops, regards electronic waste as a "rapidly expanding" issue.[5]Technical solutions are available, but in most cases a legal framework, a collection system, logistics, and other services need to be implemented before a technical solution can be applied. Display units (CRT, LCD, LED monitors), Processors (CPU chips), memory (RAM), and audio components have different useful lives. Processors are most frequently out-dated (by software) and are more likely to become "e-waste", while display units are most often replaced while working without repair attempts, due to changes in wealthy nation appetites for new display technology. An estimated 50 million tons of E-waste are produced each year. The USA discards 30 million computers each year and 100 million phones are disposed of in Europe each year. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that only 15-20% of e-waste is recycled, the rest of these electronics go directly into landfills and incinerators. According to a report by UNEP titled, "Recycling - from E-Waste to Resources," the amount of e-waste being produced - including mobile phones and computers - could rise by as much as 500 percent over the next decade in some countries, such as India. The United States is the world leader in producing electronic waste, tossing away about 3 million tons each year. China already produces about 2.3 million tons (2010 estimate) domestically, second only to the United States. And, despite having banned e-waste imports, China remains a major e-waste dumping ground for developed countries. Electrical waste contains hazardous but also valuable and scarce materials. Up to 60 elements can be found in complex electronics. In the United States, an estimated 70% of heavy metals in landfills comes from discarded electronics. While there is agreement that the number of discarded electronic devices is increasing, there is considerable disagreement about the relative risk (compared to automobile scrap, for example), and strong disagreement whether curtailing trade in used electronics will improve conditions, or make them worse. According to an article in Motherboard, attempts to restrict

the trade have driven reputable companies out of the supply chain, with unintended consequences.

The Hazardous processes:

Americium:the radioactive source in smoke alarms. It is known to be carcinogenic. Mercury: found in fluorescent tubes (numerous applications), tilt switches (mechanical doorbells, thermostats), and flat screen monitors. Health effects include sensory impairment, dermatitis, memory loss, and muscle weakness. Exposure in-utero causes fetal deficits in motor function, attention and verbal domains Environmental effects in animals include death, reduced fertility, slower growth and development. Sulphur: found in lead-acid batteries. Health effects include liver damage, kidney damage, heart damage, eye and throat irritation. When released in to the environment, it can create sulphuric acid. BFRs: Used as flame retardants in plastics in most electronics. Includes PBBs, PBDE, DecaBDE, OctaBDE, PentaBDE. Health effects include impaired development of the nervous system, thyroid problems, liver problems. Environmental effects: similar effects as in animals as humans. PBBs were banned from 1973 to 1977 on. PCBs were banned during the 1980s. Cadmium: Found in light-sensitive resistors, corrosion-resistant alloys for marine and aviation environments, and nickel-cadmium batteries. The most common form of cadmium is found in Nickel-cadmium rechargeable batteries. These batteries tend to contain between 6 and 18% cadmium. The sale of Nickel-Cadmium batteries has been banned in the European Union except for medical use. When not properly recycled it can leach into the soil, harming microorganisms and disrupting the soil ecosystem. Exposure is caused by proximity to hazardous waste sites and factories and workers in the metal refining industry. The inhalation of cadmium can cause severe damage to the lungs and is also known to cause kidney damage. Cadmium is also associated with deficits in cognition, learning, behavior, and neuromotor skills in children Lead: solder, CRT monitor glass, lead-acid batteries, some formulations of PVC. A typical 15inch cathode ray tube may contain 1.5 pounds of lead, but other CRTs have been estimated as having up to 8 pounds of lead. Adverse effects of lead exposure include impaired cognitive function, behavioral disturbances, attention deficits, hyperactivity, conduct problems and lower IQ Beryllium oxide: filler in some thermal interface materials such as thermal grease used on heatsinks for CPUs and power transistors, magnetrons, X-ray-transparent ceramic windows, heat transfer fins in vacuum tubes, and gas lasers. Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA): found in Non-stick cookware (PTFE), used as an antistatic additive in industrial applications, and found in electronics. PFOAs are formed synthetically

through environmental degradation and, in mice, after oral uptake. Studies in mice have found the following health effects: Hepatotoxicity, developmental toxicity, immunotoxicity, hormonal effects and carcinogenic effects. Studies have found increased maternal PFOA levels to be associated with an increased risk of spontaneous abortion (miscarriage) and stillbirth. Increased maternal levels of PFOA are also associated with decreases in mean gestational age (preterm birth), mean birth weight (low birth weight), mean birth length (small for gestational age), and mean APGAR score. Hexavalent Chromium: hexavalent chromium is a known carcinogen after occupational inhalation exposure

There is also evidence of cytotixic and genotoxic effects of some chemicals, which have been shown to inhibit cell proliferation, cause cell membrane lesion, cause DNA single-strand breaks, and elevate Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) levels.

DNA breaks can increase the likelihood of developing cancer (if the damage is to a tumor suppressor gene) DNA damages are a special problem in non-dividing or slowly dividing cells, where unrepaired damages will tend to accumulate over time. On the other hand, in rapidly dividing cells, unrepaired DNA damages that do not kill the cell by blocking replication will tend to cause replication errors and thus mutation Elevated Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) levels can cause damage to cell structures (oxidative stress)

E waste management
There are many ways through which we can recycle E WASTES. Some of them are as follows:

Recycling
Today the electronic waste recycling business is in all areas of the developed world a large and rapidly consolidating business. Part of this evolution has involved greater diversion of electronic waste from energy-intensive downcycling processes (e.g., conventional recycling), where equipment is reverted to a raw material form. This is recycling is done by sorting, dismantling, and recovery of valuable materials. This diversion is achieved through reuse and refurbishing. The environmental and social benefits of reuse include diminished demand for new products and virgin raw materials (with their own environmental issues); larger quantities of pure water and electricity for associated manufacturing; less packaging per unit; availability of technology to wider swaths of society due to greater affordability of products; and diminished use of landfills.

Audiovisual components, televisions, VCRs, stereo equipment, mobile phones, other handheld devices, and computer components contain valuable elements and substances suitable for reclamation, including lead, copper, and gold. One of the major challenges is recycling the printed circuit boards from the electronic wastes. The circuit boards contain such precious metals as gold, silver, platinum, etc. and such base metals as copper, iron, aluminum, etc. One way e-waste is processed is by melting circuit boards, burning cable sheathing to recover copper wire and open- pit acid leaching for separating metals of value. Conventional method employed is mechanical shredding and separation but the recycling efficiency is low. Alternative methods such as cryogenic decomposition have been studied for printed circuit board recycling, and some other methods are still under investigation.

Consumer awareness efforts

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency encourages electronic recyclers to become certified by demonstrating to an accredited, independent third party auditor that they meet specific standards to safely recycle and manage electronics. This works to ensure the highest environmental standards are being maintained. Two certifications for electronic recyclers currently exist and are endorsed by the EPA. Customers are encouraged to choose certified electronics recyclers. Responsible electronics recycling reduces environmental and human health impacts, increases the use of reusable and refurbished equipment and reduces energy use while conserving limited resources. The two EPA-endorsed certification programs are: Responsible Recyclers Practices (R2) and E-Stewards. Certified companies ensure they are meeting strict environmental standards which maximize reuse and recycling, minimize exposure to human health or the environment, ensure safe management of materials and require destruction of all data used on electronics. Certified electronics recyclers have demonstrated through audits and other means that they continually meet specific high environmental standards and safely manage used electronics. Once certified, the recycler is held to the particular standard by continual oversight by the independent accredited certifying body. A certification accreditation board accredits certifying bodies and oversees certifying bodies to ensure that they meet specific responsibilities and are competent to audit and provide certification. EPA supports and will continue to push for continuous improvement of electronics recycling practices and standards.

Processing techniques
In developed countries, electronic waste processing usually first involves dismantling the equipment into various parts (metal frames, power supplies, circuit boards, plastics), often by hand, but increasingly by automated shredding equipment. A typical example is the NADIN

electronic waste processing plant in Novi Iskar, Bulgariathe largest facility of its kind in Eastern Europe.The advantages of this process are the human's ability to recognize and save working and repairable parts, including chips, transistors, RAM, etc. The disadvantage is that the labor is cheapest in countries with the lowest health and safety standards. In an alternative bulk system, a hopper conveys material for shredding into an unsophisticated mechanical separator, with screening and granulating machines to separate constituent metal and plastic fractions, which are sold to smelters or plastics recyclers. Such recycling machinery is enclosed and employs a dust collection system. Some of the emissions are caught by scrubbers and screens. Magnets, eddy currents, and trommel screens are employed to separate glass, plastic, and ferrous and nonferrous metals, which can then be further separated at a smelter. Leaded glass from CRTs is reused in car batteries, ammunition, and lead wheel weights,or sold to foundries as a fluxing agent in processing raw lead ore. Copper, gold, palladium, silver and tin are valuable metals sold to smelters for recycling. Hazardous smoke and gases are captured, contained and treated to mitigate environmental threat. These methods allow for safe reclamation of all valuable computer construction materials.Hewlett-Packard product recycling solutions manager Renee St. Denis describes its process as: "We move them through giant shredders about 30 feet tall and it shreds everything into pieces about the size of a quarter. Once your disk drive is shredded into pieces about this big, it's hard to get the data off". An ideal electronic waste recycling plant combines dismantling for component recovery with increased cost-effective processing of bulk electronic waste. Reuse is an alternative option to recycling because it extends the lifespan of a device. Devices still need eventual recycling, but by allowing others to purchase used electronics, recycling can be postponed and value gained from device use.

ADVANTAGES OF RECYCLING
Recycling can be defined as the assembling, developing promoting or buying of new products, which are prepared from waste materials. This exercise also reduces litter and the costs of solid waste disposal. In the past, when pots were broken, they are not thrown away. The broken pots were then crushed into fine clay powder. That improved clay was used to make striking and fine-looking new pots. Today, we use many materials once, and then consider them as waste. Our task now is to develop the age-old art of recycling exercises by our forefathers. Recycling raw materials from end-of-life electronics is the most effective solution to the growing e-waste problem. Most electronic devices contain a variety of materials, including metals that can be recovered for future uses. By dismantling and providing reuse possibilities, intact natural resources are conserved and air and water pollution caused by hazardous disposal is avoided. Additionally,

recycling reduces the amount of greenhouse gas emissions caused by the manufacturing of new products. Benefits of recycling are extended when responsible recycling methods are used. In the U.S., responsible recycling aims to minimize the dangers to human health and the environment that disposed and dismantled electronics can create. Responsible recycling ensures best management practices of the electronics being recycled, worker health and safety, and consideration for the environment locally and abroad.

conclusion
India is placed in a very interesting position. The need of the hour is an urgent approach to the e-waste hazard by technical and policy-level interventions, implementation and capacity building and increase in public awareness such that it can convert this challenge into an opportunity to show the world that India is ready to deal with future problems and can set global credible standards concerning environmental and occupational health. E-waste is a growing waste stream that currently costs in the order of 10 times the cost of disposal to recycle. Council has allocated $105,000 in 2010/11 to provide this service.The emergence of an e-waste recycling industry has provided an opportunity to recycle this waste stream on a large scale.There has been increasing awareness of the ability to recycle e-waste among the community and there are growing expectations that Councils should provide this service. So before its too late we need to look into the issue and try to rectify all the mistakes that we had done and we have been doing till the date.