The e-waste (Management & Handling) Rules, 2011, which came into effect today, said the presence of hazardous and toxic substances in the component of e-waste necessitates its management, including collection and recycling, in an environmentally sound manner.
"These rules shall apply to every producer, consumer or bulk consumer, collection centre, dismantler and recycler of e-waste involved in the manufacture, sale, purchase and processing of electrical and electronic equipment," the guidelines issued by Hazardous Waste Management Division of Central Pollution Control Board said.
The rules will, however, not apply to lead acid batteries as covered under the Batteries (Management and Handling) Rules; Micro and Small Enterprises as defined in the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Act; and radio-active wastes as covered under provisions of the Atomic Energy Act.
As per the guidelines, there is a need to encourage recycling of all useful and valuable material from e-waste to conserve the ever depleting natural resources.
The rules, notified in advance in May last year to give various stakeholders adequate time to prepare themselves, also call for reduction in use of hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment.
Manufacturers of information and telecommunications equipment, electrical and electronics gadgets should ensure that the products do not contain lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, poly-brominated bi-phenyls or poly-brominated di-phenyl ethers above a specified threshold, it said.
"The reductions have to be achieved by May 1, 2014," it said. PTI TGB SMI
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