Online Platform for Trading E-Waste Responsibility Certificates

Context

Recently, The Government of India mooted to launch a platform for trading e-waste responsibility certificates.

E-waste

  • It Refers to all items of electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) and its parts (computers, equipment, home appliances, audio or video products & all of their peripherals )that its owner has discarded as waste without the intent of re-use.

E-Waste

  • Impact of E-waste: 

    • On Human Health: 

      • Affects the nervous system due to the presence of Lead, mercury & cadmium elements.
      • It is carcinogenic & causes skin diseases due to Beryllium in E-Waste.
      • Disruption in the endocrine system due to Brominated flame retardants present in E-Waste.
    • On Environment: 

      • Air Pollution: Neurotoxins & chlorinated Dioxins when released into the environment create poisonous smog.
      • Soil Pollution: Heavy metals present in it deteriorate soil quality.
      • Water Pollution: Groundwater is polluted by Heavy metals like Mercury, lithium, lead & Barium.
  • Regulated under E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2022.
    • Applies to every manufacturer, producer, refurbisher, dismantler, and recycler.
  • Top 3 E-waste Producing Countries: China>USA>India
  • Maharashtra is the most E-waste generating state in india.

About Online Platform for E-waste Responsibility Certificate

  •  Aim:
    • It will transform & Streamline the EPR certificate market, enhancing transparency and efficiency & facilitating better compliance with guidelines. 
    • It aims to manage the proliferation of electronic waste such as obsolete mobile phones, laptops, etc.
  • Developed by: Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
  • Features of the Platform: 
    • Provide flexibility for companies while ensuring they contribute to properly handling e-waste. 
    • It will increase recycling targets’ achievement. 
    • It will be a step towards establishing a robust and accountable system for managing this growing environmental challenge.
  • Regulation of the Platform: 
    • The CPCB will establish guidelines for operating the platform and set a price range for EPR certificates.
    • The Price Range will be between 30 % and 100% of the environmental compensation amount imposed for failing to meet EPR obligations. 

Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) 

  • According to the OECD, extended producer responsibility (EPR) is an environmental policy approach, and a producer’s responsibility for a product is extended to the post-consumer stage of a product’s life cycle. 
  • An EPR Policy is Characterized by:

    • The shifting of responsibility (physically and/or economically; fully or partially) upstream toward the producer and away from municipalities; and.
    • The provision of incentives to producers to consider environmental considerations when designing their products.
    • It seeks to integrate signals related to the environmental characteristics of products and production processes throughout the product chain.

About Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Certificate System

  • Regulated under E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2022.
  • A Market-driven Mechanism:
    • It allows for the quantification of e-waste recycling efforts and incentivises producers to meet or exceed their EPR obligations. 
    • It provides a revenue stream for registered recyclers, encouraging more efficient and scalable recycling operations.
  • Applicable to:
    • All items of electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) and its parts (computers, equipment, home appliances, audio or video products & all of their peripherals )that its owner has discarded as waste without the intent of re-use.
    • Orphaned products‘ means non-branded or assembled electrical and electronic equipment as specified in Schedule I or those produced by a company which has closed its operations. 
  • Obligation for the E-Waste Generating Companies: 
    • By collecting and processing their waste or 
    • By purchasing EPR certificates from entities that have exceeded their collection targets. 
    • They are tradable credits just like green credits or carbon credits

E-Waste Management Rules 2022 

  • Objective: To undertake all necessary measures to ensure the e-waste management in a manner that safeguards both human health and the environment from any potential adverse effects.
  • Coverage: Every manufacturer, producer refurbisher, dismantler and recycler involved in the manufacture, sale, transfer, purchase, refurbishing, dismantling, recycling and processing of e-waste or electrical and electronic equipment listed in Schedule I, including their components, consumables, parts and spares which make the product operational.
  • Exception (Not applicable to):
    • Waste batteries (under Battery Waste Management Rules, 2022);
    • Packaging plastics (under the Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016);
    • Microenterprise as defined in the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Act, 2006 (27 of 2006); &
    • UNDP reportRadio-active wastes (under the provisions of the Atomic Energy Act, 1962 (33 of 1962).
Also Read: Global Plastic Pollution Treaty Negotiations At INC-3

News Source: Business Standards

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