Question : e-Waste Management

(a) whether there has been tremendous growth in the generation of e-waste in the country and if so, the details thereof;
(b) whether the National Green Tribunal has sought response from the Government on a plea alleging rampant violations of e-waste management rules notified;
(c) if so, the details thereof and follow up actions taken by the Government in this regard;
(d) whether it is also a fact that tonnes of second hand or used goods are being dumped in our country leading to a pile-up of e-waste and if so, the details thereof;
(e) whether the Government has granted any permission to private agencies to import such second hand wastes from other countries for the last five years; and
(f) the details of import of e-waste in the country during the last three years and the current year along with the steps taken to impose ban on import of hazardous e-waste?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
(DR. MAHESH SHARMA)

(a) The country’s economic growth, rise in per capita income, and technological innovations coupled with high obsolescence rate of electronic and electrical equipments has resulted in increase in the rate of generation of e-waste. Comprehensive inventorisation of e-waste generation in the country has not been done. However, Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) in 2005 estimated 1.47 lakh ton of e-waste in the country and simultaneously had projected 8.0 lakh ton of e-waste generation in the year 2010. As per the Global E-waste Monitor 2017 Report of United Nations University the annual generation of e-waste in India was 2 million metric tons in 2016.

(b) & (c) The Hon’ble National Green Tribunal (NGT) has passed various directions regarding management of e-waste in the matter of OA no 143/2013, OA no.183/2014 and OA no 188/2014. Later, the Ministry has comprehensively revised the existing rules and notified E-Waste (Management) Rules 2016 for better management of e-waste in the country. In response to OA No. 58/2017, a joint inspection was also carried out by CPCB in association with the concerned pollution control board and the Ministry at Moradabad and in nearby areas and submitted the report before the Tribunal in March 2017.

(d) to (f) The import of waste including e-waste is regulated under Hazardous and Other Waste (Management and Transboundary Movement) Rules, 2016. As per the Rules, no import of waste for dumping or for disposal in the country is permitted. The Ministry has not granted any permission for import of e-waste into the country for the above purpose. However, import of used electrical and electronic goods have been granted for 3,24,007 items in 2014-15; 5,10,050 in 2015-16; 52,227 in 2016-17; 63,969 in 2017-18 and 39,531 in 2018-19 (till June, 2018) for re-use or repair.

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