Kishore Mumbai Presentation

e-Waste in India: A ground perspective

Dr Kishore Wankhade Toxics Link 28th November 2006

Electronic Waste • It includes computers, entertainment electronics, mobile phones and other items that have been discarded by their original users. • It consists of electronic products that were used for data processing, telecommunications, or entertainment in private households and businesses that are now considered obsolete, broken, or un-repairable. • The e-waste pile growing around the world and statistics show that it runs into millions of tonnes annually. E-waste in India: A Ground Perspective

e-Waste: the Current Scenario • Domestic e-Waste, growing exponentially in volumes. • Increases in demand for PCs with penetration density in India • Imports regularly coming to the recycling markets. • Poor working conditions E-waste in India: A Ground Perspective for recycling.

Hyper-Growth and HyperObsolescence • India, by 2008, should achieve a PC penetration of 65 per 1,000 from the existing 14 per 1,000 (MAIT) • At present, India has about 15 million computers. The target being 75 million computers by 2010.# • Over 2 million old PCs ready for disposal in India. • Over 75 million current mobile users in India, expected to increase to 200 million by 2007 end.* in India: A Ground PerspectiveMP3 players, iPods etc. • E-waste Memory devices,

Hyper-Growth and HyperObsolescence • Computer industry brings new technology and 'upgrades' to market every 18 months. (innovation) • No incentive for “design for longevity”. (planned obsolescence) average life span of a personal computer now 3-5 years (from the earlier 7 years) •E-waste Consumer preference for newer in India: A Ground Perspective models and features in cell phones

Growth in the number of computers • India had the second highest growth in number of computer users per capita in the period 19932000. • It grew a massive 604% as compared to a world E-waste in India: A Ground Perspective average of

Piles of discarded computer parts in a waste shop in Mumbai. These parts are sorted, broken apart and sent to various 'recycling' workshops.

E-waste in India: A Ground Perspective

India: a dumping •ground End-of-life products find their way to recycling yards in countries such as India • About 80 percent of the e-waste generated in the US is exported to India, China and Pakistan • Collected by recyclers abroad and sold to waste traders from India • Passed through customs as second hand, mixed metal scrap, for charity/donations etc. • Landing in ports like Mumbai, Chennai, Cochin, Kandla etc • Ends up recycling units in Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai amongst others. • The trade in e-waste is camouflaged and is a thriving business in India. It is conducted under the pretext of E-waste in India: A Ground Perspective obtaining ‘reusable’ equipment or

E-waste in India: A Ground Perspective

It doesn’t look like hazardous waste but it contains…

E-waste in India: A Ground Perspective

Hazardous e-Waste Constituents • Toxic Metals Lead, Cadmium, Mercury, Beryllium, Selenium, Lithium, Antinomy, Arsenic • Brominated Flame

Retardants

TBBA (tetrabromo-bisphenol-A) • OtherPBDE Halogenated Hydrocarbons (polybrominateddiphenyl) etc. PVC (polyvinyl chloride) CFCs (chloroflourocarbons) • Rare Earth Elements Yttrium, Europium, Americium E-waste in India: A Ground Perspective

e-Waste as Toxic Waste In India Two million PCs of 286, 386, 486 configuration are supposed to be in waste stream which would mean.. Average PC of approx. Two million 31.5 kg wt. contains: obsolete PCs would mean: 7.24 kg Plastics  14,427,000 kg 1.98 kg Lead  3,962,700 kg 0.693g Mercury  1,386 kg 0.4095g Arsenic 2.961g Cadmium  819 kg  5,922 kg 1.98g Chromium  3,969 kg 9.92g Barium  19,845 kg E-waste in India: A Ground Perspective 4.94g Beryllium  9,891 kg

For a few dollars more… • As per available data; Cost to recycle a single PC in US is around 20 dollars • As per conversations; Recycling cost of single PC in India is about 2 dollars • There is saving of 18 dollars per PC if shipped to India • Thus, it is 10 times cheaper to ship PCs to India than it is to E-waste in India: A Ground Perspective recycle them in United States

e-Waste trade in India • Trade in e-Waste, is like that in other scrap, is dominated by the ‘informal’ sector. • Although ‘informal’, it has a system that is highly organized with extensive coordination in an established network. • It thrives on low-tech, backyard type setup with cheap E-waste in India: Aunskilled Ground Perspective labour

Mumbai Scenario • In India, Mumbaikars use electronic products the most and also very fast to grab modern technology • Thereby, dumping old electronic products as scrap, generating more e-Waste which is growing at a rapid pace. • Being a port city, also keeps thein India: constant inflow of eE-waste A Ground Perspective

Mumbai Scenario • Places like Saki Naka, Kurla, Grant Road etc are the hub of e-waste trade in Mumbai. • Here, such e-waste is traded, handled, dismantled and recycled by unskilled labourers without any safety measures risking their health as well as polluting environment. • In these scrap godowns, waste trade dealers stores it and then trades tem as far as to Delhi, Agra, Meerut, where these waste electronics are broken to extract E-waste in India: A Ground Perspective metals like copper, aluminum and

Existing Recycling/ Recovery Operation •High-risk backyard operation. •Women and children employed. •Risk awareness non-existent or very low. •Breaking, acid baths, open burning. •High environmental and occupational risks. E-waste in India: A Ground Perspective

Opening of monitor

E-waste in India: A Ground Perspective

Burning of Circuit Board on stove as the smoke is rising from the computer motherboards being melted over open fires in a recycling yard in Delhi.

E-waste in India: A Ground Perspective

Child labour in inhuman working conditions

E-waste in India: A Ground Perspective

Copper from PVC wires

E-waste in India: A Ground Perspective

Hidden Costs that India must bear… • Occupational disease, asthma to cancer • Genetic damage, endocrine disruption • Developmental and neurological dysfunction among children and birth defects • Loss of arable land to residual dumpsites • Food contamination from fish and farms in India: A Ground Perspective •E-waste Loss of groundwater resources

Recommendations for Action • Adequate implementation of legislation and ban on Imports. • Move solutions to product design – toxics and hazard free. • Design for Longevity, Upgrade, Repair and Re-use • Minimize toxics in production (lead free solders) • Tie recycling in with take-back product responsibility. • Adequate technologies for recycling. • clear guidelines to handle e-waste. • Incentive schemes for garbage collectors and general public for collecting and handing over e-waste • Awareness programme on e-waste for school children and general public E-waste in India: A Ground Perspective

Thank You! For more information contact Toxics Link Mumbai Garage No.2, Plot No.4 Baba Nanik Sahib CHS Ltd Laxmi Colony, R C Marg Chembur, Mumbai-400074, India Tel: +91-22-25534312 Email: [email protected] Web: www.toxicslink.org