As electronic wastes contain substances such as Lead, Cadmium, Mercury, Poly Chlorinated Biphenyls (PCB), Poly Vinyl Chloride (PVC) etc., they have the potential to cause harm to human health and environment if not handled properly.
As the collection and recycling of electronic wastes is being done by the informal sector in our country at present, the Government has taken the following steps to deal with and tackle the e-wastes threat:-
Electronic wastes are included under List A and B of Schedule-3 of the Hazardous Wastes (Management & Handling) Rules, 1989 as amended from time to time. The import of this waste is therefore regulated by the Ministry of Environment and Forests and no permission has been granted by the Ministry till date for such imports.
Subsequent to the organisation of a National Workshop on Electronic Waste Management, action has been initiated by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) for rapid assessment of E-waste generated in major cities of the country.
A National Working Group consisting of regulatory agencies, NGOs, Industry Associations, experts and recyclers has also been constituted by CPCB for formulating a strategy and road map for management of electric and electronic wastes in an environmentally sound manner.
A comprehensive technical guide on "Environmental Management for Information Technology Industry in India" has been published and circulated widely by the Department of Information Technology (DIT), Ministry of Communication and Information Technology.
A demonstration project has also been set up by the DIT at the Indian Telephone Industries, Palakkad, Kerala for recovery of copper from Printed Circuit Boards.
Several workshops and seminars have been organised in different parts of the country by the DIT on Environmental Management in Electronics Industry.
This information was given by the Minister of State for Environment and Forests Shri Namo Narain Meena in a written reply to Member of Parliament, Shri S. P. M. Syed Khan in Rajya Sabha today.
AKS/rs