E-waste rules have loopholes

BANGALORE: The e-waste (Management and Handling) Rules 2011 issued by the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests is a welcome step, Greenpeace activists said but at the same time, expressed their concern as the rules fail to provide safeguards to ensure the ban of import and export of electronic wastes.According to the notification, the rules make environmentally sound management and disposal of electronic wastes mandatory. Commenting on the notification, Abhishek Pratap, Senior Campaigner of Greenpeace India said, “This is not just a victory for the environment but business, as it creates a level-playing field. The rule ensures a transition from the current out-of-sight and out-of-mind approach to proper recycling of e-wastes and in the process accelerating the commercial introduction of green electronic products in the market.”Pointing out the loopholes in the rules, he said, “The rule fails to provide safeguards to ensure the ban of import and export of electronic wastes. There is also a scope for further improvement by making every producer financially liable for the e-wastes generated by their products, based on its toxicity.To accelerate the introduction of greener products, Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) and all form of Brominated Flame Retardants (BFR) should be included as banned substances.” For the past five years, Greenpeace has been working for the cause of e-waste management. The rule clearly places responsibility on the producers for the lifecycle of the product, from design to disposal, he noted. “By notifying this rule, the government has taken a proactive  step in the right direction. The main challenge ahead lies in its implementation. In future, we look forward to seeing the rule move towards individual producer responsibility and the banning of more hazardous chemicals,” Pratap added.