The Hindu Business Line : Cracking down on e-waste

The European Union has adopted some of the world’s strictest policies on e-waste and potentially hazardous chemical substances. The economic and environmental impacts of the regulations have been felt far beyond Europe.

Mohan Murti

Sanjay Kalra, who moved to Germany to work for a top Indian IT firm just a year ago, thought he had got rid of his ugly behemoth of an old computer and monitor by tossing it onto the street.

Last week, the German ‘umweltpolizei’ —environment police — caught him and slapped a fine of 2,300 euros for ‘improper and illegal disposal’ of hazardous toxic e-waste.

He and other Indians living in Germany are learning that their ‘unloved’ electronic dinosaurs such as old mobile phones, refrigerators, transformers and burned-out electronic coffee makers cannot be thrown into trash cans. These are required to be taken to any one of the 4,000 e-waste collection centres around Germany set up under the law governing the sale, return and environmentally-friendly disposal of electronic and electrical equipment.

If consumers in Germany and European member states are caught throwing their electronic waste along with normal trash, they can be fined between 1,000 and 1,00,000 euros.

Ripple Effects

The European Union (EU) has adopted some of the world’s strictest policies on e-waste and potentially hazardous chemical substances. The economic and environmental impacts of the regulations have been felt far beyond Europe — creating a ripple effect, touching electronics manufacturers and chemical companies, worldwide.

In particular, three EU environmental policies are in force across the 27 EU member states.

Two e-waste directives, adopted in 2003, require manufacturers to dispose consumers’ used electronic equipment free of charge and prohibits the export of hazardous waste to developing countries for disposal. In January 2007, a new chemicals regulation, called REACH (registration, evaluation and authorisation of chemicals), was adopted, requiring registration and selective evaluation of more than 30,000 existing chemical substances, as well as new ones.

REACH will soon create the world’s toughest regulatory framework for chemicals.

The 485 million citizens of the European market are pushing manufacturers in the US and Asia to meet European standards and are increasing the availability of ‘green’ products globally.

Additionally, the new toxic risk information generated by REACH allows environmental advocates around the globe to focus their efforts with specific, supportable data. European nations have also signed a ban on toxic waste exports.

Components of the EU Law

Key elements of European laws governing e-waste are that electronics manufacturers are required to handle their own e-waste and must eliminate certain hazardous substances in production. A snapshot of the EU directives

Wide range of electronic products is covered, from computers to hair dryers to refrigerators to electronic toys.

Free e-waste collection for consumers. Consumers can return e-waste to collection points free of charge. Individual manufacturers bear the costs of organising disposal, recycling and reuse of all products they put on the market.

Ban on hazardous substances. The law bans the use of substances such as lead, cadmium, mercury, hexavalent chromium and certain brominated flame retardants.

Must be designed for recycling. The directive mandates that products must be designed for dismantling and recovery.

Mandatory recycling labelling. Manufacturers must clearly label their products to allow for identification and to inform consumers that e-waste is banned from municipal waste and must be handled separately.

E-waste collection measurement and recording. Manufacturers must meet a collection rate of four kg per person per year. The directive also specifies recycling rates that increase over time.

Labelling. Producers must clearly label their products to allow for identification and to inform consumers that e-waste is banned from municipal waste and must be handled separately.

Collection and recovery of waste equipment. E-waste is banned from the municipal waste and must be collected separately. Very strict penalties and fines are imposed on callous undisciplined disposal.

awareness programmes

Awareness campaign in Europe is a continuous, ongoing task, designed and implemented with missionary zeal.

In secondary schools, children must compulsorily spend an average of 20 hours each month on environment and waste recycling and management.

Children are taught that electronic waste (e-waste), obsolete computers, monitors, cell-phones, televisions, refrigerators, microwaves, etc, are not only the fastest growing waste stream in the world but also one of the most complicated.

Awareness lessons also include visits by school children to waste re-cycling centres.

School children are taught not to discard e-waste carelessly and that hazardous waste must definitely not end up in landfills and other waste repositories. I recall that in the early 1990s, Switzerland, where I was living at that time, was the first country in the world to implement an electronic waste recycling system beginning with collection of old refrigerators.

Over the years, all other electric and electronic devices were gradually added to the system.

Legislation followed in 1998 and since January 2005, it has been possible to return all electronic waste to the sales points and other collection points — free of charge.

Today, over 16 years hence, the total amount of recycled electronic waste in Switzerland exceeds 10 kg per capita, per year.

(The author is former Europe Director, CII, and lives in Cologne, Germany. Feedback may be sent to mohan.murti@t-online.de)

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