E-Waste Clinic in Madhya Pradesh

News: The Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) and the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) have signed a MoU to set up India’s first e-waste clinic in Bhopal.

Facts:

• The e-waste clinic would enable segregation, processing and disposal of waste from both household and commercial units.
• Electronic waste will be collected door-to-door or could be deposited directly at the clinic in exchange for a fee.
• Door-to-door collection will happen in two ways. Either separate carts for the collection of e-waste will be designed, or separate bins will be attached to existing ones meant for solid and wet waste.
• It e-waste clinic in Bhopal would be a 3-month pilot project, which, if successful, will be replicated everywhere in India.
• The clinic is being conceived in compliance with the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016.

Additional Information:

E-waste:

• Electronic waste, or e-waste, is a term for electronic products that have become unwanted, obsolete, and have reached the end of their useful life.
• It refers to all items of electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) and its parts that have been discarded by its owner as waste without the intent of re-use.

E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2016

• The rules extend to Producer, consumer, collection centre, dismantler and recycler manufacturer, dealer, refurbisher and Producer Responsibility Organization (PRO). However, micro and small industries are exempted.
• The applicability of the rules extends to various electronic equipment/products, components, consumables, spares and parts of EEE. Further, Compact Fluorescent Lamp (CFL) and other mercury containing lamp brought under the purview of rules.
• The Rules adopt collection-based approach to include collection centre, collection point, take back system etc for collection of e – waste by Producers under Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR).

Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016

• The Rules are applicable beyond Municipal areas and extend to urban agglomerations, census towns, notified industrial townships, areas under the control of Indian Railways, airports, airbase, Port and harbour, defence establishments, special economic zones, State and Central government organizations, places of pilgrims, religious & historical importance.
• The source segregation of waste is mandated to channelize the waste to wealth by recovery, reuse and recycle.
• Responsibilities of Generators is mandated to segregate waste into three streams:
  • Wet (Biodegradable),
  • Dry (Plastic, Paper, metal, wood, etc.) and
  • Domestic hazardous wastes (diapers, napkins, empty containers of cleaning agents, mosquito repellents, etc.)