PARLIAMENT OF INDIA RAJYA SABHA

Transcription

1 266 PARLIAMENT OF INDIA RAJYA SABHA DEPARTMENT-RELATED PARLIAMENTARY STANDING COMMITTEE ON SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY, ENVIRONMENT & FORESTS TWO HUNDRED SIXTY SIXTH REPORT ON E - WASTE AND E - RADIATION (PRESENTED TO THE RAJYA SABHA ON THE 23 RD JULY, 2015) (LAID ON THE TABLE OF THE LOK SABHA ON THE 23 RD JULY, 2015) RAJYA SABHA SECRETARIAT NEW DELHI JULY, 2015/ SHRAVANA, 1937 (SAKA)

2 C O N T E N T S PAGES 1. COMPOSITION OF THE COMMITTEE (i) (ii) 2. PREFACE (iii) 3. ACRONYMS 4. REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE SUMMARY OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS MINUTES OF THE MEETINGS OF THE COMMITTEE INDEX OF REPORTS To be appended at printing stage

3 MEMBERS OF THE DEPARTMENT-RELATED PARLIAMENTARY STANDING COMMITTEE ON SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY, ENVIRONMENT & FORESTS ( ) Shri Ashwani Kumar Chairman RAJYA SABHA 2. Shri Anil Madhav Dave 3. Shri Prem Chand Gupta 4. Shri C.P. Narayanan 5. Shri Paul Manoj Pandian 6. Dr. T. Subbarami Reddy 7. Shri Arvind Kumar Singh 8. Shri Bhupinder Singh 9. Smt. Bimla Kashyap Sood 10. Shri Ronald Sapa Tlau LOK SABHA 11. Shri Badruddin Ajmal 12. Shri Muzaffar Hussain Beig 13. Smt. Bijoya Chakravarty 14. Shri Pankaj Chaudhary 15. Shri Prabhatsinh Pratapsinh Chauhan 16. Kum. Sushmita Dev 17. Shri Ninong Ering 18. Shri Laxman Giluwa 19. Dr. K. Gopal 20. Shri Daddan Mishra 21. Shri Shivaji Adhalrao Patil 22. Shri Nana Patole 23. Shri Nagendra Kumar Pradhan 24. Shri Harinarayan Rajbhar 25. Smt. Sandhya Roy 26. Shri Kirti Vardhan Singh 27. Shri Nagendra Singh 28. Smt. Renuka Sinha 29. Shri Vikram Usendi 30. Smt. Vasanthi M. *31. Shri Chirag Paswan SECRETARIAT Shri M.K. Khan, Joint Secretary Shri Rohtas, Director Shri V.S.P. Singh, Joint Director Shri Rajiv Saxena, Assistant Director * Nominated w.e.f. 25 th March, 2015.

4 PREFACE I, the Chairman of the Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Science & Technology, Environment & Forests, having been authorized by the Committee to present the Report on its behalf, present this Two Hundred and Sixty-sixth Report on 'E-waste and E-radiation. 2. In its meeting held on the 20 th November, 2014, the Committee heard the views of the Ministries of Environment, Forest & Climate Change; Science & Technology and Department of Telecommunications on the subject. 3. The Committee expresses its thanks to the Officers of the Ministries of Environment, Forest & Climate Change; Science & Technology and Department of Telecommunications for placing before the Committee the required material and replying to the clarifications sought by the Members on the subject. 4. In its meeting held on 21 st July, 2015, the Committee considered the draft report and adopted the same. NEW DELHI: ASHWANI KUMAR 21 st July, 2015 Chairman, Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Science & Technology, Environment & Forests REPORT E-Waste means Wastes from electrical and electronic equipment, whole or in part or rejects from their manufacturing and repair process, which are intended to be discarded e.g. computer equipments, electronic gadgets, TVs, Mobile phones etc. E-waste is highly hazardous as it contains toxic substances such as lead, cadmium, mercury, Hexavalent Chromium Polybrominated Biphenyls (PBB) and Polybrominated Diphenyl Ether (PBDE), that have an adverse impact on human health and environment, if not handled properly. 2. There has been a rapid rise in the volume of e-waste being generated in the country which increased approximately from 1.5 lakh tonnes in 2005 to nearly 8 lakh tonnes in As per a report by the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP), the volume of e-waste being produced including mobiles phones and computers could rise by as much as 500 percent over the next decade in many counties including India. Roughly about 10 percent of the total e-waste generated in the country was being suitably disposed off which was abysmally very low. Concerned at the enormity of the problem and the associated hazards, the Committee took up the issue for consideration. 3. The Committee also took up the issue of e-radiation emanating from mobile towers which pose a serious threat to human beings and birds too, a subject being repeatedly addressed in the public domain. 4. The Committee started consideration of the issue by hearing the views of Secretaries of Ministries of Environment, Forest & Climate Change; Science & Technology and Department of Telecommunications at its meeting held on the 20 th November, 2014.

5 E-WASTE 5. The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change informed the Committee about the existing legislative framework in India to deal with e- wastes. The Acts/legislations dealing with E-wastes are listed below:- (1) Hazardous Wastes (Management and Handling) Rules, 1989; (electronic industry-not mentioned). (2) 1992-obligation under 'Basel Convention on Control of Transboundary Movement of Hazardous Waste and its Disposal'. Ratified by India on 24 th June, (3) Hazardous Wastes Rules, 1989 were amended in 2000 & (4) Superseded by Hazardous Wastes Rules, 2008 incorporating e-waste industry as Hazardous and thus regulating its import/export. (5) The e-waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 2011; in force since May, The Ministry admitted that presently The E-waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 2011 were at a nascent stage of implementation and there is a need to revisit the rules and address several issues based on the experience gained so far. The Committee was informed that the matter was under examination and the Ministry would be coming out with legislative proposals shortly. 7. On being enquired about the facilities/arrangements in place to deal with the huge quantum of e-waste generated in the country, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change provided the following State-wise details of registered E-Waste recyclers/dismantlers:- Sl. No. State Andhra Pradesh 2 2. Chhattisgarh 1 3. Gujarat 7 4. Haryana 7 5. Karnataka Madhya Pradesh 1 7. Maharashtra Rajasthan 9 9. Tamil Nadu Uttar Pradesh Uttarakhand West Bengal 1 Total The Ministry also furnished the following state-wise list of one hundred eleven collection centres who have been authorized for e-waste collection:- Sl. No. State Andhra Pradesh 4 2 Assam 2 3 Bihar 2

6 4 Chandigarh 1 5 Delhi 19 6 Gujarat 29 7 Goa 2 8 J & K 4 9 Kerala 4 10 Madhya Pradesh 1 11 Maharashtra Odisha 7 13 Rajasthan 4 14 Uttrakhand 1 15 UP 09 Total The Ministry further informed the Committee that under the E-Waste (Management and Handling) Rules 2011, registration of Dismantlers and Recyclers of e-wastes with the State Pollution Control Boards/Committees (SPCBs/PCCs) has been made mandatory. SPCBs, on being satisfied that the applicant propose to utilize environmentally sound technologies to reprocess e- waste, grant registration initially for two years and thereafter depending upon the performance, renew further for a period of five years. Under the above rules dismantlers and recyclers are required to submit annual returns to the State Pollution Control Boards concerned which in turn submit annual reports to the Central Pollution Control Board. 10. The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change informed the Committee that Extended Producer's Responsibility (EPR) is the main feature of the E-waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 2011, wherein the producer of electrical and electronic equipment has the responsibility of managing such equipment after the end of its life. Thus, the producer is responsible for their products once the consumer discards them. Under this EPR, producer is also entrusted with the responsibility to finance and organize a system to meet the costs involved in complying with EPR. 11. The Ministry further informed that producers are required to obtain authorization from SPCB/PCCs for implementing their EPR, which can be achieved by setting up collection centres, or implementing take back systems or joining a collective scheme or joining a collection centre for effective channelization of E-waste to the registered dismantlers/recyclers which shall be specified in their application for authorization. The Committee was informed that under the E-Waste Rules, Micro and Small Enterprises as defined in MSME Development Act, 2006, have been exempted from application of the said e-waste Rules with respect to the responsibility of producers. 12. The Committee was informed by the Ministry that following 123 producers have so far been granted authorization by Central Pollution Control Board in 11 States for managing their EPR:-

7 Sl. No. State No. of Producers granted authorisation for EPR 1 Andhra Pradesh 3 2 Bihar 1 3 Delhi 40 4 Goa 15 5 Gujarat 3 6 J & K 12 7 Karnataka 19 8 Maharashtra 27 9 Odisha 1 10 Rajasthan 1 11 Uttar Pradesh 1 Total Submitting his views before the Committee, Secretary, Ministry of Science & Technology stated that there are some new technologies to deal with the e-waste that convert waste into energy but these are at an early prototype stage. He suggested to the Committee that the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and Department of Biotechnology can work on developing waste-to-energy technology which will be an added component to the already existing measures. 14. In view of the foregoing, the Committee makes the following observations/recommendations: i. The Committee notes that the quantum of e-waste is not only huge but is increasing at a staggering pace and thus the issue needs to be addressed in a purposive manner and on urgent basis. There is a yawning gap between the e-waste generated and the capacity developed to deal with it. The Committee feels that the number of 126 E-Waste recyclers/dismantlers is abysmally inadequate to treat the quantum of nearly 8 lakh tonnes of e-waste generated in the country. The Committee, therefore, recommends the Central/State Authorities to take immediate remedial measures to suitably and efficiently address the issue by enlarging the infrastructure in place to deal with the issue. The Committee believes that there is an immediate need to increase the number of dismantlers/recyclers/collection centres specially in states generating large quantum of e-wastes and the gap between the e-waste generated and the capacity to deal with it should be bridged at the earliest possible. ii. The Committee feels the need to increase the coverage of Extended Producer's Responsibility to involve more producers in the management of e-wastes. The Committee feels that EPR has not been adequately enforced nor is the present legal and policy

8 iii. architecture adequate to enforce the same. Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change should immediately set in motion steps to address the issue. The Committee is constrained to note that the e-waste rules are still at a nascent stage of implementation despite the fact that generation of e-waste had crossed 8 lakh tonne way back in the year The Committee, therefore, recommends that the Ministry should bring forward necessary amendments in the e-waste rules incorporating the best practices and incentive schemes prevailing internationally for encouraging recycling. E-RADIATION 15. The effects of electromagnetic radiation on health of human beings, animals, birds and honeybees through radiations from mobile phone towers is a matter of concern and intense public discourse. The Committee feels that the issues arising therefrom, needed to be flagged. 16. Electromagnetic fields are part of the electromagnetic spectrum which extend from static electric and magnetic fields, through radio frequency (RF), infrared radiation, and visible light to X and gamma-rays. Part of the electromagnetic spectrum extending from 3 KHz frequency to 300 GHz is referred as radio frequency (RF). Television and radio transmitters, mobile telephones, radars, baby monitors and radio-controlled toys etc. use RF. Radio frequency fields are non-ionizing radiation i.e. they lack the energy to liberate electrons, i.e. ionize or effect changes in atomic structure. 17. The Committee was informed by the Secretary, Department of Telecommunication that Electromagnetic Radiation (EMR) may also occur from natural sources like ultraviolet light from the sun and lightning. EMR may also be generated by man made sources like power (electricity) lines, TV/ Radio broadcast, fixed and mobile radio communication, radars, medical devices, satellite communications, X-rays, radioactive material, etc. 18. The Committee was also informed by the Department of Telecommunication that World Health Organisation (WHO) has referred to approximately 25,000 articles, published around the world over past 30 years, and based on an in-depth review of scientific literature, has concluded that current evidence does not confirm the existence of any health consequences form exposure to EMF radiation. World Health Organization (WHO) in its fact sheet No-304, May 2006 on Electromagnetic Fields and Public Health (Base Stations and Wireless Technologies) has concluded that considering the very low exposure levels and research results collected to date, there is no convincing scientific evidence that the weak RF signals from base stations and wireless networks caused adverse health effects. From all evidence accumulated so far, no adverse short or long term health effects have been shown to occur from the RF signals produced by based stations. The fact sheet No-304 is at Annexure-I.

9 19. In respect of EMF radiations from mobile handsets, WHO in its publication in June 2011 had concluded that a large number of studies have been performed over the last two decades to assess whether mobile phones pose a potential health risk. To date, no adverse health effects have been established as being caused by mobile phone use. Since the effects on human being are to be studied over a long period of time, further studies are going on around the world. The WHO study thus felt that the effects of EMF radiations from mobile handsets needs to be studied further. 20. To further the international research on the subject, World Health Organisation (WHO) established the International EMF Project in 1996 to assess the scientific evidence of possible health effects of EMF in the frequency range from 0 to 300 GHz. While summarizing the key points on health effect of EMF radiation, WHO website mentions the following i.e. WHO s International EMF Project was launched to provide scientifically sound and objective answers to public concerns about possible hazards of low level electromagnetic fields. Despite extensive research, to date there is no evidence to conclude that exposure to low level electromagnetic fields is harmful to human health. 21. The Committee was further informed by the Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change that an Expert Committee with the following mandate to study the possible impacts of communication towers on wildlife including birds and bees, was constituted by the Ministry on 30 th August i. To review all the studies done so far in India and abroad on aspects of ill effects of mobile towers on animals, birds and insects. ii. To assess the likely impacts of the growth in the number of mobile towers in the country iii. iv. To suggest possible mitigatory measures. To formulate guidelines for regulating the large-scale installation of mobile towers in the country v. To identify the gap areas for conducting further detailed research. 22. After considering all aspects, the Expert Committee made the following recommendations :- i. EMF should be recognised as a pollutants/regular auditing of EMF should be conducted in urban localities/educational/hospital /industrial/residential/recreational premises and around the protected areas and ecologically sensitive areas. ii. iii. Introduce a law for protection of urban flora and fauna from emerging threats like ERM/EMF as conservation issues in urban areas are different from forested or wildlife habitats. Bold signs and massages on dangers of cell phone tower and radiation which is emitted from it are displayed in and around the structures where the towers are erected. Use visual daytime markers in areas of high diurnal raptor or waterfowl movements.

10 iv. To avoid bird hits, security lighting for on-ground facilities should be minimized and point downwards or be down-shielded. v. Independent monitoring of radiation levels and overall health of the community and nature surrounding towers is necessary to identify hazards early. Access to tower sites should be allowed for monitoring radiation levels and animal mortality, if any. vi. Procedure for removal of existing problematic mobile towers should be made easy, particularly in and around protected area or urban parks and centres having wildlife. vii. Strictly control installation of mobile towers near wildlife protected areas, important Bird Areas, Ramsar Sites, turtle breeding areas, bee colonies, zoos, etc up to a certain distance that should be studied before deciding and should also be practical. Ecological assessment / review of sites identified for installing towers before their installation also may be considered in wildlife/ ecologically/ conservational important areas. viii. The locations of cell phone towers and other EMF radiating tower along with their frequencies should be made available in the public domain. This can be at city/ district /village level. Location wise GIS mapping of all cell phone towers be done by DOT. This information will help in monitoring the population of birds and bees in and around the mobile towers and also in and or around wildlife protected areas. ix. Public consultation to be made mandatory before installation of cell phones towers in any area. The forest Department should be consulted before installation of cell phone towers in and around Protected Areas and zoos. The distance at which these towers should be installed should be studied case by case basis. x. Awareness drive with high level of visibility in all forms of media and regional languages should be undertaken by the Government to make people aware about various norms in regard to cell phone towers and dangers from EMR. Such notices should be placed in all wildlife protected areas and in zoos. xi. To prevent overlapping high radiations fields, new towers should not be permitted within a radius of one kilometre of existing towers. xii. If new towers must be built, construct them to be above 80ft and below 199 ft. tall to avoid the requirement for aviation safety lighting. Construct towers with platforms that will accommodate possible future co-locations and build them at existing antenna farms, away from areas of high migratory bird traffic, wetlands and other known bird areas.

11 23. The Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change also informed that it had issued an advisory on use of mobile towers to minimize their impact on wildlife including birds and bees. A copy of the Advisory is at Annexure-II. 24. The Committee was further informed that in a Writ Petition filed in Hon ble High Court Allahabad, Lucknow bench, the Hon ble Court constituted a Committee including Members from IITs Kharagpur, Kanpur, Delhi, Roorkee, Bombay and from other scientific institutions of the country including Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS) Delhi which submitted its Report on In February 2014, after due consideration of the human health concerns on account of EMF radiation being raised in public and the Report of the Committee, the Government felt that the present prescribed precautionary EMF safe exposure limits are adequate and need no further change at this stage. 25. Elaborating further on the subject during the meeting of the Committee held on 20 th November, 2014, the Secretary, Department of Telecommunications stated as under:- The Department is still open for further studies because the time-frame of twenty or thirty years may not be sufficient to reach on all the conclusions as such kinds of studies on human health effect or even on the health effect on birds and animals, flora and fauna, continue for long, long time and human information and knowledge keeps on changing over the time based on different information. So, another Inter-Ministerial Committee was formed which was under the chairmanship of former Director-General, ICMR, and it has representatives from IIT, Chennai, Indian Institute of Toxicology Research, Lucknow, Department of Telecom, Ministry of Environment and Forests and the Science and Engineering Research Board. Based on this, they have invited R&D proposals from eligible scientific organizations on studies of different kinds, like, the study on the life of the bees, birds, humans, flora and fauna, and the SERB has constituted an Export Committee and Task Force to consider these R&D proposals. They have shortlisted 79 proposals for further examination. So, when these studies are conducted, maybe, further knowledge will be thrown up which will be very much country specific, India specific. But, at the moment, whatever norms the Department are adopting in this country are very, very safe. 26. The Committee was informed by the Department of Telecommunication (DOT) that its role is confined to regulate the EMF radiation from BTS installed at the towers and from mobile handsets. Since 2008, it has been monitoring global developments and has already taken necessary steps and adopted stricter norms for safety from EMF radiation that are emitted form mobile towers and mobile handsets.

12 27. The present limits/level for EMF fields exposure in the telecommunication sector as mentioned by the Department of Telecommunication are:- Frequency Range 400MHz to 2000 MHz 2GHz to 300 GHz E-Field Strength H-Field Strength Power Density (Volt/Meter (Amp/Meter (A/m)) (Watt/Sq. Meter (V/m)) (W/Sq. m)) 0.434f ½ f ½ f/ (f is frequency in MHz) 28. The Department of Telecommunications further informed the Committee that keeping the precautionary EMF safe exposure limits for the radio frequency field (Base Station Emissions) as 1/10 th of the safe limits prescribed by ICNIRP for all areas in India, eliminates the need for fixing lower limits for specific areas like schools, hospitals, residential premises, children playground; a segregation of which is impractical in densely populated localities. 29. The Department of Telecommunications also informed the Committee that a full-fledged division of the Telecom Enforcement Resource & Monitoring (TERM) cell is basically the unit for the enforcement of the guidelines for restricting EMF radiation. The Committee was informed that the Base Transceiver Station (BTS) self certifies that it is meeting the radiation norm and this self certification is submitted to the respective TERM cells. The TERM cells audit the compliance of self-certificates regularly for the purpose of limiting the EMF radiation exposure and keeping safe the general public areas in the vicinity of BTS. In case of violation of the prescribed EMF norms and public complaints against BTS sites, the TERM cell takes stringent actions. 30. The Committee takes note of the various reports and studies and feels that in view of unrestricted location of mobile towers/antennas in cities and smaller towns, cell towers are having a concentrated effect. The Committee, therefore, recommends that the Department of Telecommunications consider framing suitable regulations and guidelines regarding the location and inspection of the mobile towers. The number of qualified inspectors to carry out inspections to check the effects of EMR from cell towers be increased. 31. The Committee is aware that Indians are more vulnerable and prone to risk from radiations as compared to European countries because of their low body mass index and low fat content. The Committee, therefore, recommends that comprehensive scientific studies need to be undertaken to conclusively establish the level of risks and adverse health effects of EMR of cell towers. The Committee presently working on the issue should be directed to expedite their reports which should be given within a stipulated time frame.

13 32. The Committee recommends that the recommendations of the expert Committee constituted to study the impact of Mobile Towers on Birds and Bees should be implemented so that the harmful effects of EMF radiation on birds, bees, insects etc. may be minimized. 33. The Committee takes note of the supervision by TERM cells to ensure compliance of BTS to the prescribed guidelines. The Committee, however, recommends that apart from self-certification, random checking and inspection reports should be made public so that public at large is aware of the issue. Stringent penalties for violation of norms and guidelines be prescribed and these should go beyond fiscal penalties.