“India is the world’s third-largest e-waste generator, yet a large proportion of its e-waste remains unprocessed.” Discuss the health, environmental, and institutional challenges in India’s e-waste management. Suggest measures to strengthen India’s circular economy ecosystem.

Answer: Model Answer approach

Divide the question into manageable chunks and then respond to each one separately.

Overview: Explain what electronic waste is and why it is a threat.

• Electronic devices that are undesired, broken, and nearing or at the end of their “useful life” are referred to as e-waste.  India is currently the third-largest producer of e-waste worldwide, behind the United States and China, according to the United Nations’ Global E-Waste Monitor 2020.

Body: E-waste management challenges, The management of e-waste in India, The Indian approach’s shortcomings.

• Problems with e-waste: When workers handle e-waste, they may be exposed to dangerous materials like lead and mercury through improper recycling practices. These employees run a significant risk of suffering physical harm and long-term health problems because they work in conditions without adequate ventilation or personal protective equipment. For instance: In its first worldwide study on e-waste and child health, published in 2021, WHO urged more effective and legally binding measures to safeguard children from the escalating danger.
• India’s strategy for managing e-waste: In India, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) is in charge of managing e-waste. It gathers information about the production of e-waste and offers uniform standards for its recycling and disposal. Schedule 3 of “The Hazardous Wastes (Management and Handling) Rules, 2003” in India addresses e-waste.  The E-Waste Management Rules were first introduced by the Indian government in 2016 and have since undergone several revisions, the most recent of which was made in 2023.

In summary: The future of India’s e-waste management

• Formalizing e-waste collection, bolstering the right to repair framework, and establishing a circular economy environment are the next steps in India’s e-waste management strategy. In order to combat the threat of e-waste, it is imperative that sustainable patterns of consumption and production be ensured, as stated in Sustainable Development Goal (SDG-12).

Practice Question

Question: The Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) framework is a cornerstone of India’s e-waste policy, yet its implementation remains sub-optimal. Critically examine the limitations of the EPR approach in India’s e-waste management, with suitable international best practice comparisons.

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