(a) the details of disposable toxic e-waste is lying in various power companies across the country;
(b) whether the Government has taken steps to dispose of such e-waste without causing any harm to environment and if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether the Government has issued any direction to the power companies in this regard; and
(d) if so, the details thereof?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
(SHRI BABUL SUPRIYO)
(a) & (b) Information is not available about the storage of toxic E-waste of disposable nature by the power firms in the country with the Ministry. Nevertheless, power generating units have deployment of electronic and electrical equipment which would finally attain end-of-life and turn into e-waste. As per extant provisions of E-Waste (Management) Rules 2016, all the power firms being bulk consumers of electronic and electrical equipment are obliged to dispose of e-waste in the prescribed manner by handing over to authorized recyclers/dismantlers only. In pursuance of the directions of National Green Tribunal, Principal Bench, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) have jointly inspected twenty installations of power distribution companies and reported non-availability of any stock of e-waste except at Tata Power Delhi Distribution Limited, Mangolpuri.
(c) & (d) The Government has not issued any specific directions to power firms to dispose of the e-waste. However, E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2016 were notified in March, 2016 for providing environmentally sound systems for disposal of e-waste. The provisions of these Rules include dedicated extended producer responsibility (EPR), setting up of producer responsibility organizations and e-waste exchanges to facilitate collection and recycling, assigning specific responsibility to bulk consumers of electronic products for safe disposal and other measures which include responsibility of producers of electronic and electrical products for collection and channelizing of electronic waste. The power firms are the bulk consumers of the electrical and electronic equipment. As per the provisions of the E-Waste management Rules, 2016 such companies are required to maintain records and file annual report to the concerned State Pollution Control Boards.
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