(a) whether the Government has received the Report from Green Peace India on their
study of E-waste contamination;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether E-waste contamination has created environmental and human health problems;
(d) if so, the details in this regard; and
(e) the other measures taken by the Government to check environmental pollution caused by E-waste?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT AND FORESTS (SHRI NAMO NARAIN MEENA)
(a) & (b) Green Peace has carried out a study on the environmental pollution during
manufacturing of electronic products in China, Thailand, Philippines and Mexico. No such
study has been carried out on E-waste contamination for India.
(c) & (d) E-waste contains certain chemicals and other substances which are toxic and
potentially hazardous to environment and human health, if these are not handled in an
environmentally sound manner. The different components in the E-waste contain toxic
substances such as cadmium, lead, mercury, poly chlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), Poly Vinyl
Chloride (PVC) and plastics etc.
(e) The Government of India has taken the following steps to check environmental
pollution caused by E-waste:
1. The Ministry of Environment & Forests has notified the Hazardous Waste (Management
and Handling) Rules 1989 as amended in 2000 and 2003 under the Environment (Protection)
Act, 1986. These rules regulate collection, storage, treatment, disposal and import of
hazardous wastes which includes e-waste. The processes generating hazardous wastes are
listed in Schedule 1 of these Rules. The residues and wastes generated form the operations
in electronic industry are considered as hazardous wastes and are included at S.No.31 of
this Schedule.
2. Department of Information Technology (DIT), Ministry of Communication and Information
Technology has taken steps to promote adoption of cleaner technologies and to motivate
the electronics industry to minimize generation of waste in electronic Industry. A
comprehensive technical guide on “Environmental Management for Information Technology
Industry in India†has been published in 2004 and circulated widely by the DIT.
3. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has undertaken the task of preparation
of guidelines entitled “Environmentally Sound Management of E-wasteâ€, for the State
Pollution Control Boards and Pollution Control Committees of the Union Territories and the
industries for handling e-waste. A Task Force has been constituted by the Ministry of
Environment and Forests for finalization of these guidelines.