Page 27 - CIJ Dec 2023 - Digital Edition

Cover Story

modern gadgets like tablets the environmental and health
and GPS devices. Furthermore, safeguards necessary for safe
these rules mandate all e-waste handling. The informal
regulated entities to register on recycling processes frequently
the Central Pollution Control involve direct exposure to India, the third-largest
Board’s (CPCB) online portal, harmful substances like lead, e-waste producer
ensuring a formalised and cadmium, and mercury, which globally, faces a
monitored approach to e-waste pose severe health risks to the formidable challenge
handling. workers. with its electronics
However, the implementation Consumer awareness industry generating
and enforcement of these regarding e-waste disposal is about 3.2 million tonnes
policies pose considerable notably lacking. A majority
challenges.. Despite the of the population remains of e-waste annually.
legislative framework in uninformed about the proper This crisis is largely
place, there is a notable gap methods of disposing of driven by the IT sector,
in the enforcement of rules, electronic waste, leading to a significant contributor
often exacerbated by limited a tendency to discard these to India’s GDP, marked
awareness among stakeholders items with regular household by rapid technological
and inadequate infrastructure. waste. Improper disposal
Moreover, the integration of the and unscientific recycling advancements and the
informal sector, which handles methods result in the release swift obsolescence of
a significant portion of e-waste of toxic substances into the electronic devices.”
recycling, into the formal environment, leading to soil
system remains a daunting task. and water contamination, air
Addressing these challenges is pollution, and a host of other
key to making the legislative ecological impacts.
framework more effective.

Challenges in E-Waste
Management
Lack of robust infrastructure,
dominance of the informal
sector, and low levels of
consumer awareness are
the primary challenges in
e-waste management resulting
in inefficient collection,
segregation, and recycling
processes.
The informal sector’s
predominance in e-waste
recycling is another notable
hurdle. Accounting for over
95% of the e-waste recycling
activities, this sector often
employs rudimentary and
unregulated methods. While
these practices contribute to the
livelihoods of many, these lack

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