GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO: 2744
ANSWERED ON: 04.08.2021
Collection of E-Waste
Chinta Anuradha

(a) whether the Government has any plans to create a central system for e-waste collection by setting up a coordination mechanism between manufacturers, suppliers, and municipalities/panchayats;

(b) if so, the details thereof;

(c) whether the Ministry has coordinated with the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change over compliance of e-waste rules; and

(d) if so, the details thereof?

ANSWER

(a) and (b): No, Sir. The present mechanism of e-waste management is based on E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2016, notified by Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEF&CC). The Rules envisage, assigning of collection of e-waste to Producers (manufactures) or his associates, including Producer Responsibility Organizations (PROs), Dismantlers, Recyclers and refurbishers. Further, the management of E-Waste is also governed by the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR).

Also, the E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2016 have assigned the following duties to Urban Local Bodies (Municipal Committee or Council or Corporation): 

(i) To ensure that e-waste, if found to be mixed with Municipal Solid Waste is properly segregated, collected and is channelized to authorised dismantler or recycler.

(ii) To ensure that e-waste pertaining to orphan products is collected and channelized to authorised dismantler or recycler. 

(c) and (d): Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) provides necessary inputs in the compliance of e-waste rules to MoEF&CC.