GUIDE TO START E-WASTE RECYCLING BUSINESS

Electrical and electrical waste (e-waste) is one of the world's fastest-rising discharges. According to a recent estimate, 3,30,000 metric tons of e-waste are created annually throughout India (Information Technology Association of Manufacturers, 2007) and are expected to cross 8,00,000 metric tons by 2012.

1. Introduction

Electrical and electrical waste (e-waste) is one of the world's fastest-rising discharges. According to a recent estimate, 3,30,000 metric tons of e-waste are created annually throughout India (Information Technology Association of Manufacturers, 2007) and are expected to cross 8,00,000 metric tons by 2012. Throughout India, owing to the high rate of refurbishment and the substitution of electronic products, only a limited volume of e-waste is recycled. Much of the e-waste generated in the country is already recycled in the informal sector with low capacity and insufficient processing technologies, who lead significantly to emissions load and environmental degradation. Some of the e-waste recyclers are active in the decommissioning of production e-waste. India needs sufficient e -waste recycling system to achieve end -to -end recycling.

The source of generation of E-waste is used electrical and electronic equipment like computers, mobile cell phones, personal stereos, including large domestic appliances such as refrigerators, air conditioners, etc., which are not fit for their originally intended usage and are meant for recovery, recycling, or disposal.

E-wastes involve more than 1000 distinct substances, all of which are toxic and potentially detrimental to the atmosphere and human health, unless they are treated in an environmentally sustainable way. The high rate of product obsolescence is a relevant factor for increased e-waste generation. Notwithstanding appropriate recycling and treatment services, these chemicals make their way to scrap dealers and the supply chain of dismantlers that are in the informal sector. The dismantling activities are performed in a dangerous manner, which leads to major environmental and safety problems.

The National Environmental Policy, 2006 (NEP) focuses on sustainable development and the need to encourage the reuse/recovery/recycling of useful waste materials, thereby preserving natural resources and reducing waste destined for final disposal to ensure that all waste is managed environmentally sound manner. The NEP further advocates giving the informal sectors legal status and strengthening them. Given the high recyclable capacity of e-waste and comprehensive recycling activities in the informal sectors, the recycling policies in units must be channeled using environmentally sound technology.

E -waste Recycling Plant is an industrial enterprise on its own, requiring clearances from different agencies to build and run the facility. In light of the need to control environmental pollution, environmental clearances have become important among the various clearances today. Those facilities are to be built within the organized sector. However, to provide the unified plant with a support system, the operations currently conducted in the informal sector must be modified or deviated. This will enable the informal sector to be brought into the mainstream of the economy and will facilitate compliance with the law. The proposed mechanism for the e-waste facility is only an illustrative concept, and during the construction of such facilities, specific details must be sorted out.

The' E-waste recycling facility guidelines' are in accordance with the existing' Environmentally sound e-waste management guidelines' provided by the Ministry of Atmosphere and Forests, the Government of India, and the Central Emissions Control Board (CPCB). These can be interpreted in accordance with the CPCB guidelines and every other advice / best practices/standards, etc., also recommended by the Indian government.

2. Objectives & Scope of the Guidelines

The purpose of these guidelines is to provide advice to all those who are setting up an e-waste recycling facility in order to become familiar with the procedures and clearances needed for such a facility.

These instructions are essentially a framework and reference manual for e-waste facility establishment and operations. The guidelines only provide information on the basic requirements and procedures for setting up a facility like this. The basic specifications can differ for each facility, based on the procedure used. All processes and mandatory criteria shall comply with the law and regulations that apply at the time the application is processed.

The guidelines shall apply to all those who intend to set up e-waste recycling facilities in the formal sector and use environmentally sound recycling technologies to recover from e-waste the precious and other metals.

The rules shall not extend to such fluorescent lamps that are processed.

3. E-waste Scenario and prevailing recycling Practices

The electronics sector has emerged as the Indian industry's fastest-growing segment both in terms of production and exports. In the telecommunications and IT industry, the share of computer services has increased from 38.7 per cent in 1998-99 to an aggregate of 61.8 per cent in 2003 - 04. The transition in the IT sector coincided with liberalization, and the opening up of Indian markets along with a change in India's import policies against electronics, leading to import substitution of indigenously manufactured equipment. The Indian Computer industry is growing at a compounded annual growth rate of 25 per cent, according to estimates made by the Manufacturers ' Association of Information Technology (MAIT).

The growth of electrical and electronic products, usage rates, and higher obsolescence rates lead to higher e-waste generation. The growing obsolescence of electronic products is also contributing to the tremendous import of used electronics. The generation of e-waste has significant economic and social impacts, and the e-waste recycling industry also experiences exponential growth. According to the estimate from the 2007 MAIT-GTZ evaluation, 3.30,000 metric tons of e-waste are produced in India annually and are expected to reach 4.70,000 metric tons by 2011. Nevertheless, only 19,000 metric tons of e-waste are estimated to be recovered, and the majority of the e-waste can not be held accountable. There is no large-scale coordinated e-waste recycling system operating in India, and several small and medium-sized e-waste dismantling and recycling units are distributed in urban and peri-urban areas of the cities. Although most of these services are in the informal sector, some of the recycling systems for e-waste are reported to the CPCB.

Sixty-five Indian cities contain more than 60 per cent of India's total e-waste. Ten states produce 70 per cent of India's total e-waste. Maharashtra ranks first in the list of e-waste-producing states in India, followed by Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Delhi, Karnataka, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and Punjab. Mumbai ranks first among the top ten e-waste generating cities, followed by Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Pune, Surat, and Nagpur. In Chennai and Bangalore, two small e-waste dismantling facilities are in place. Throughout India, there is no large-scale organized e-waste recycling facility, and all recycling is in the unorganized sector.

4. Environmentally Sound Recycling

Environmentally sound management, as described in the Basel Convention and adopted in the Indian Hazardous Waste Regulations, is set out below:

Environmentally sound management and Recycling of hazardous waste implies and other waste implies taking all reasonable steps to ensure that hazardous waste or other waste is managed in a manner that safeguards human health and the environment from the adverse effects that may occur from such waste.

Synonymous with e-waste recycling and treatment performed, Environmentally Sound Methods (EST) should be used for recycling and disposal in such a manner that the environmental and human health consequences are not detrimental. As far as e-waste recycling is concerned, the Best Available Methods (BAT) and the methods used worldwide are set out in the CPCB guidance. Nevertheless, they could be updated on the basis of technological developments and access to such technologies from time to time.

5. Establishment and management of e-waste Recycling facility

a.Project Planning

E - waste Recycling Facility is an industrial operation on its own, requiring clearances from various authorities to establish and operate the facility. In the organized sector, these facilities must be built. The process starts with the project planning and preparation of the project document, which will be in line with the planned operations and business plans for the project. The project planning, land acquisition, and required licenses to be obtained from the agencies concerned, in whose authority the unit is to be built, the unit will have to operate according to the specifications in each State.

The Environmental Clearances have become important among the numerous clearances today, given the need to preserve the atmosphere and control pollution. The Detailed Project Report (DPR) should include the requirements for environmental compliance and the investment made for the same. The purpose of these guidelines is to provide the details needed to pursue various environmental clearances and promote them in the process.

b. Environmental Clearance

The establishment of a recycling facility for e-waste comes under the Infrastructure Projects of the EIA notification dated September 2006, notified under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. It has similar requirements to the projects covered under the Treatment Storage Disposal Facility (TSDF).

Any person who is likely to establish or take any steps to establish any type of E-waste recycling or processing, which is likely to discharge sewage or trade effluent into any stream or well, or sewer, or on land, has to obtain consent from the concerned State Pollution Control Board. Similarly, any person who is likely to establish or operate any e-waste recycling plant or process e-waste in any manner that is likely to cause air pollution is not permitted to discharge or cause the emission of any air pollutant in excess of the standards laid down by the concerned State Pollution Control Board. These emissions are regulated by the State Pollution Control Board/Committee and are subject to prior consent from the same.

The entrepreneur has to obtain the Consent for Establishment (CTE), which is the first and foremost requirement, and is obtained before setting up the industry. If the industry falls under Schedule I of the Environment Impact Assessment notification of 2006, it requires Environmental Clearance (EC).

i.Procedure for Obtaining Environmental Clearances (EC)

The industrial unit, which proposes to process e-waste, is considered as any other industrial unit that handles hazardous substances and is liable under the Environment Clearance Notification of 2006, as it causes polluted air and water.

1. Screening

2. Scoping

3. Public Consultation

4. Project Appraisal

a. Expert Appraisal Committee

b. State Level Appraisal Committee

iv. Registration as Recyclers

The 2008 changes to the Hazardous Wastes (Management and Handling) Regulations have included e-waste as a waste type. Provisions were made in Chapter III, Rules 8 - 10, for the registration of all e-waste recyclers with the Central Pollution Control Board ( CPCB). The category of e-waste was classified under the categories of toxic recyclable waste in Schedule IV of those regulations. Under these rules, all those participating in e-waste recycling to go through the tedious registration procedure, including those active in dismantling operations. The application for registration should be submitted in Appendix IV, Type 5

v. Transboundary Movement of e-waste

Every transboundary movement (importation and export) of e-waste shall comply with the procedures set out in Chapter IV of the 2008 Laws on Hazardous Wastes (Management, Handling and Transboundary Movement) and with the provisions of the Basel Convention on the Regulation of Transboundary Movement of Hazardous Wastes. Under the laws on hazardous waste, as well as under the Basel Convention, e-waste has been classified as hazardous waste since it is known to contain various hazardous components such as cadmium, lead, asbestos, brominated flame retardants, and polychlorinated biphenyls etc. The waste electrical and electronic assemblies or components were included in those provisions in Schedule III, Section A. Those e-waste containing hazardous constituents to the degree that they show danger characteristics specified in Schedule III, Part B of these laws are included in List A (A 1180), equivalent to Annex VIII of the Basel Convention, including the importing country's prior written consent (PIC). The e-waste not comprising or polluted with the dangerous constituents shall be placed in B 1110, equivalent to Annex IX of the Basel Convention, which would not attract PIC unless required by national law. In India, all transboundary movement requires a Photo. The demand for export/import approval for e-waste shall be submitted to the Central Government, Ministry of Environment & Forests, in Forms 7 & 8, along with a full cover insurance policy. All shipments should be accompanied by Form 9 set out in those rules.

vi. Environmental Monitoring & Compliance

The instructions, best practices, and specifications for setting up and operating e-waste recycling facilities have been described in the e-waste management guidelines published by the Ministry of Environment and Forests. These guidelines also provide Best Available Technology and the Global Scenario to make it easier for the e-waste recycler to gain insight into the system required.

The information for developing an Integrated E-waste Management Facility is provided in Chapter 7 of this paper. The required e-waste handling procedure was given. The protocols for establishing and managing - waste recycling facility were identified. This chapter further enlists the criteria for enforcement with existing regulations. Links to access the details for the same were provided.

This handbook of procedures is a reference document providing guidance for obtaining the necessary environmental clearances, consents, and other permits for the environmentally sound management of e-waste.
 

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