E-WASTE: INDIA’S NEGLECTED DISASTER

E-WASTE: INDIA’S NEGLECTED DISASTER According to The 'Global E-Waste Monitor 2014', compiled by UN's think tank United Nations University (UNU), India is the fifth biggest producer of e-waste in the world, discarding 1.7 million tonnes (Mt) of electronic and electrical equipment in 2014. What does the report say?  The volume of global e-waste is likely to rise sharply by 21 per cent in next three years.  The US and China produced the most e-waste (32%) overall in 2014 .  India came in fifth, behind the US, China, Japan and Germany.  Most e-waste in the world in 2014 was generated in Asia at 16 Mt or 3.7 kg per inhabitant.  Most e-waste in the world in 2014 was generated in Asia at 16 Mt or 3.7 kg per inhabitant. o The top three Asian nations with the highest e-waste generation in absolute quantities are China (6.0 Mt), Japan (2.2 Mt) and India (1.7 Mt).  The top per capita producers by far are the wealthy nations of northern and western Europe, the top five being Norway, Switzerland, Iceland, Denmark, and the UK.  The lowest amount of e-waste per inhabitant was generated in Africa (1.7 kg/inhabitant). The continent generated 1.9 Mt of e-waste in total. P a g e | 40 Other highlights:  Toxins in that e-waste include 2.2 Mt of lead glass, 0.3 Mt of batteries, as well as mercury, cadmium, chromium and 4,400 tonnes of ozone-depleting substances (CFCs). Reasons for increasing e-wastes:  Rising sales of electronic equipments.  Shortening life cycles of electrical and electronic equipment. What is E-waste? E-waste is a term used to cover all items of electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) and its parts that have been discarded by its owner as waste without the intent of re-use.E-waste or electronic waste, therefore, broadly describes loosely discarded, surplus, obsolete, broken, electrical or electronic devices. Composition: E-waste consists of all waste from electronic and electrical appliances which have reached their end- of- life period or are no longer fit for their original intended use and are destined for recovery, recycling or disposal. It includes computer and its accessories monitors, printers, keyboards, central processing units; typewriters, mobile phones and chargers, remotes, compact discs, headphones, batteries, LCD/Plasma TVs, air conditioners, refrigerators and other household appliances. The presence of elements like lead, mercury, arsenic, cadmium, selenium, hexavalent chromium, and flame retardants beyond threshold quantities make e- P a g e | 41 waste hazardous in nature. It contains over 1000 different substances, many of which are toxic, and creates serious pollution upon disposal. How will the report help? The report provides a baseline for national policymakers, producers and the recycling industry, to plan take-back systems. It can also facilitate cooperation around controlling illegal trade, supporting necessary technology development and transfer, and assisting international organisations, governments and research institutes in their efforts as they develop appropriate countermeasures.  ‗Urban mine‘- A large potential reservoir of recyclable materials.  ‗Toxic mine‘ -The hazardous content of e-waste that must be managed with extreme care. Health Problems because of e-waste: Health problems associated with toxins present in the e-waste include impaired mental development, cancer, reproductive disorders, endocrine disruption and damage to livers and kidneys.  Lead is toxic to the kidneys, accumulating in the body and eventually affecting the nervous and reproductive systems. Children‘s mental development can be impaired by low-level exposure to lead.  When burned, PVC produces dioxins, some of the most hazardous carcinogens known.  Brominated flame retardants have been linked to fetal damage and thyroid problems. P a g e | 42  Barium produces brain swelling after a short exposure. It may cause weakness in muscles as well as heart, liver, and spleen damage.  Hexavalent chromium damages kidneys, the liver, and DNA. Asthmatic bronchitis has been linked to this substance.  Mercury is known to harm developing fetuses and is passed through mothers‘ milk to newborns. In adults, it can cause brain and kidney damage.  Beryllium causes acute or chronic beryllium disease, a deadly ailment affecting the lungs.  Cadmium is a carcinogen and long-term exposure leads to kidney and bone damage. E-waste in India:  There are 10 States that contribute to 70 per cent of the total e-waste generated in the country, while 65 cities generate more than 60 per cent of the total e-waste in India. o Among the 10 largest e-waste generating States, Maharashtra ranks first followed by Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Delhi, Karnataka, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Punjab. Among the top ten cities generating e-waste, Mumbai ranks first followed by Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Pune, Surat and Nagpur.  The main sources of electronic waste in India are the government, public and private (industrial) sectors, which account for almost 70 per cent of total waste generation. P a g e | 43  The contribution of individual households is relatively small at about 15 per cent; the rest being contributed by manufacturers. Though individual households are not large contributors to waste generated by computers, they consume large quantities of consumer durables and are, therefore, potential creators of waste.  An Indian market Research Bureau (IMRB) survey of ‗E-waste generation at Source‘ in 2009 found that out of the total e-waste volume in India, televisions and desktops including servers comprised 68 per cent and 27 per cent respectively. Imports and mobile phones comprised of 2 per cent and 1 per cent respectively.  The Cobalt-60 radiation tragedy at Mayapuri in Delhi in which one person lost his life and six persons were admitted to hospital served as a wakeup call drawing attention to the mounting quantity of hazardous waste including ewaste in the country while revealing systemic problems on the issue of waste disposal. What happens to the e-Waste? An incredibly small percentage of e-waste is recycled. The remainder is most often dumped or burned – either in formal landfills and incinerators, or informally dumped or burned. Ways of Disposal of E-waste: 1. Landfill 2. Incineration 3. Reuse 4. Recyc