E-Waste and its Management

E-Waste and its Management

Today is Sumit Ahuja’s birthday and he is ecstatic. His father has just given him a shining new computer as a gift. Sumit has decided to put the old computer outside his front door for the garbage man to collect. He has thrown it out without any qualms.

There are many Sumits in India. The National WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) Task Force has estimated that total WEEE generation in India is approximately 1,46,000 tonnes per year.

Definition

There is no clear definition of “Electronic Waste”. While common public perception of e-waste is restricted to relatively durable and expensive end-of-life information and telecommunication equipment and consumer electronics such as computers, laptops, DVD players, etc, many activists also include mobile phones, lighting equipment, toys and medical devices in this category. Broadly speaking, “Electronic Waste” or “e-waste” is the term used to describe old or obsolete electronic appliances which have been disposed off by their original owners. Rapid technology change, low initial cost and planned obsolescence have made this a fast growing problem around the world.


Problems of e-waste

Electrical and electronic equipment are made up of a variety of components, some containing toxic materials and carcinogens. Uncontrolled burning, disassembly, and disposal are causing environmental and health problems. For example, Cathode Ray Tubes in computers contain carcinogens such as lead, barium and other heavy metals. The PVC sheathing of wires is highly corrosive and their burning induces the formation of dioxins. Landfilling e-waste, one of the most widely used methods of disposal, is prone to hazards because of leachates. Mercury, Cadmium and Lead are among the most common and toxic leachates.



E Waste Management in India

The challenges of managing e-waste in India is very different from those in other countries, developed or developing. This is because of its vast geographical and cultural diversity and economic disparities. A few problems:

Ø Rapidly increasing e-waste volumes, both domestically generated, as well as through imports.

Ø No accurate estimates of e-waste generated and recycled.

Ø Low level of awareness of health hazards amongst e-waste workers.

Ø Recycling using primitive and rudimentary techniques in the informal sector resulting in severe environmental damage.

Ø Inefficient recycling processes resulting in loss of material value.


Recycling and Reuse

However, E-waste is a valuable source for secondary raw materials if handled responsibly. E-waste processing usually involves dismantling the equipment into various parts- metal frames, power supplies, circuit boards and plastics- which are separated, often by hand. The various fractions are then sold to smelters or plastic recyclers. These processes are energy intensive. Electronic waste processing systems have matured in recent years following increased regulatory, public and commercial scrutiny. The wisdom of reuse and refurbishment, instead of conventional recycling, is now widely accepted. The environmental and social benefits of reuse are many- less demand for new products, less packaging per unit, availability of technology to wider swathes of society due to greater affordability of products, and diminished use of landfills.