Environment ministry notifies strict new E-Waste Management Rules, 2016

NEW DELHI: The Environment ministry has notified strict new E-Waste Management Rules, 2016 that will bring the producers under Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), along with targets and requirements to collect e waste and hand it over to recyclers. The new rules also bring under their ambit Compact Fluorescent Lamp (CFL) and other mercury containing lamps, as well as other such equipment and have brought in penalty provisions in case of improper management of e-waste.

About 17 lakh tonnes of E-waste is generated every year, with an annual increase of 5 per cent of generation of E-waste. The new rules make the manufacturer responsible to collect e-waste generated during the manufacture of any electrical and electronic equipment and channelise it for recycling or disposal and seek authorization from SPCB.

Environment minister Prakash Javadekar said that the role of State Governments has been also introduced to ensure safety, health and skill development of the workers involved in dismantling and recycling operations. He also stated that a provision of penalty for violation of rules has been introduced.

Liability for damages caused to the environment or third party due to improper management of e-waste including provision for levying financial penalty for violation of provisions of the Rules has also been introduced. Urban Local Bodies (Municipal Committee/Council/Corporation) has been assign the duty to collect and hand over the orphan products to authorized dismantler or recycler.

The e-waste exchange as an option has been provided in the rules as an independent market instrument offering assistance or independent electronic systems offering services for sale and purchase of e-waste generated from end-of-life electrical and electronic equipment between agencies or organizations authorised under these rules.

Department of Industry in State or any other government agency authorised in this regard by the State Government is to ensure earmarking or allocation of industrial space or shed for e-waste dismantling and recycling in the existing and upcoming industrial park, estate and industrial clusters.