Electronic Waste

An emerging environmental
issue !
-an Indian
context

G SINDHURA
T.REVANTH
VNR VJIET
 ELECTRONIC WASTE : What is it?

Electronic waste, E waste, E scrap or Waste Electrical and Electronic

Equipment describes loosely discarded, surplus, broken, obsolete
electrical and electronic devices.
 ELECTRONIC WASTE

Televisions
Televisions
Display
Display
Batteries
Batteries Devices
Devices

Frames
Frames e-waste
e-waste Computers
Computers

Telecom.
Telecom.
Scanners
Scanners Devices
Devices
Printers
Printers
ELECTRONIC WASTE : Reasons

• Rapid Technology change

• Low initial cost
• Planned obsolescence
ELECTRONIC WASTE : where does it go?

• Land fill
• Incineration
• Reuse
• Recycle
• Export
 ELECTRONIC WASTE : Effects

E waste

Chemicals

Toxic metals

Hazardous solvents

Causes Adverse impact on and

Irreparable loss to Life, health and environment
- In India
 ELECTRONIC WASTE : 3R waste hierarchy

Reduce-Reuse-Recycle
ELECTRONIC WASTE : Recycling in India

Harmful techniques like burning

wires are one of the practices
in informal recycling in India.
ELECTRONIC WASTE : Recycling in India

Lack of proper recycling environment

ELECTRONIC WASTE : Drawbacks in management

• Informal recycling
• No proper infrastructure
• Lack of stringent legislative
policies.
• Import of electronic waste.
 ELECTRONIC WASTE : Measures for recycling

• E waste products must be labeled “hazardous”.

• Organized recycling companies must extract metals
through copper smelting followed by pulverization.
• Safety aspects for workers must be ensured.
• Government should setup regulatory agencies in each
district to coordinate with various authorities concerned.
• Donating electronics for reuse with sufficient care of
their working condition.
• Do not dispose e waste with garbage and household
waste.
 ELECTRONIC WASTE : Measures for recycling

• The producer, manufacturer, seller, service provider and

user should be made obligatory to take/give back e waste
for proper management.
• Educate the users about the importance of proper
disposal of e waste.
ELECTRONIC WASTE : The fourth ‘R’
 ELECTRONIC WASTE : Drawbacks of Recycling

•Recycling Pollutes
• Doesn’t cut gadget production
• Demands virtue
•Recycling doesn’t improve products
• Lack of awareness about
reuse and recycling.
• Environmental problems
A better solution in the case of “RECYCLING” is
“REUPGRADING”
 ELECTRONIC WASTE : Reupgrading

•It's time for environmental groups to stop pushing the

feel-good panacea of recycling and start advocating a
practice called "reupgrading.“

Recycling through
RE UPGRADING
Upgrading
ELECTRONIC WASTE : Six reasons why Reupgrading is
better than Recycling

• Reupgrading "recycles" gadgets efficiently.

• Reupgrading forces manufacturers to make fewer
devices.
•Reupgrading takes advantage of self-interest.
•Reupgrading punishes junk manufacturers.
•Reupgrading addresses the biggest problem: lazy
storage.
•Reupgrading takes pressure off recycling centres.
 ELECTRONIC WASTE : Hurdle for Reupgradaing

•The biggest hurdle for the reupgrading movement is

psychological.
• Carriers already sell "refurbished" phones. Often, when a
manufacturer replaces a damaged unit, it sends you a
"used" phone.
 ELECTRONIC WASTE : Reupgradaing TIPS

•Always look for maximum resale value when you buy.

Upgrade frequently.
•Always consider buying used instead of new. Become
skilled at monitoring the auction and classified ad sites for
deals.
•Sell your previous model on eBay, Craigslist or similar site
as soon as possible, while it still has maximum value.
•Always keep packaging to facilitate shipping and enhance
value.
 ELECTRONIC WASTE : Reupgradaing TIPS

•Always
•Alwayskeep
keepitems
itemssuch
suchasascables
cablesand
andaccessories.
accessories.To
To
enhance
enhancevalue,
value,bundle
bundlethem
themfree
freewhen
whenyou
yousell
sellthe
theold
old
model
modelififthey
theydon't
don'twork
workwith
withthe
thenew.
new.
•If
•Ifsomething
somethingbreaks,
breaks,fix
fixititbefore
beforeselling
sellingorordonating.
donating.
You'll get a better price or make a better contribution, and
you might be able to do it with your existing warranty or
insurance that the buyer may not have.
 ELECTRONIC WASTE : Management options
Role of the Government:-
•Governments should set up regulatory agencies in each
district.
•Governments should be responsible for providing an
adequate system of laws.
•Governments must encourage research into the
development and standard of hazardous waste
management.
•Governments should enforce strict regulations and heavy
fines.
•Polluter pays principle and extended producer
responsibility should be adopted.
ELECTRONIC WASTE : Current activities in India

• Karnataka State Pollution Control Board has given

authorization to two commercial enterprises to handle e-
waste in Bangalore: E-Parisara and Ash Recyclers.
• ASUS technology (India) have designed a
notebook/laptop in an eco-friendly manner with bamboo to
restrict electronic waste with two year global guarantee.
• Tes-Ann Chemical and TIC group in Noida
ELECTRONIC WASTE : The new ‘4R’