SOLID AND E-WASTE MANAGEMENT: PROSPECTS OF A DEVELOPING NATION

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1 Internatinal Jurnal f Research in Engineering, Technlgy and Science, Vlume VII, Special Issue, Feb editr@ijrets.cm, ISSN SOLID AND E-WASTE MANAGEMENT: PROSPECTS OF A DEVELOPING NATION Deepak Kumar 1 and Puja Kumari 2 1 Indian Institute Of Technlgy (I.S.M), DHANBAD 1 R.V.S Cllege Of Engineering And Technlgy, Jamshedpur ABSTRACT: We are living n this planet as if we had anther ne t g t. As accrdance with the recent studies, it has been fund that 62 millin tnnes f waste is generated annually in the cuntry at present, ut f which 5.6 millin tnnes is plastic waste, 0.17 millin tnnes is bimedical waste, hazardus waste generatin is 7.90 millin tnnes per annum and 15 lakh tnnes is e- waste. Only abut per cent f the municipal waste gets cllected and nly per cent f this waste is prcessed and treated. With the increase in ppulatin and advancement in technlgy there has been drastic increase in generatin f these wastes. Current scenari depicts that the value f land is increasing due t increase in the demand fr residential purpses and if these waste generatin is nt cntrlled then prbably these wastes wuld take ver all unused space. During the last decade, a grwing interest in recycling f dmestic waste has emerged, and actin plans t increase the recycling f dmestic waste have been agreed by many gvernments. A cmmn feature f these plans is the implementatin f new systems and equipment fr the cllectin f dmestic waste which has been separated at surce. Hwever, nly limited infrmatin exists n pssible ccupatinal health prblems related t such new systems. Occupatinal accidents are very frequent amng waste cllectrs. Based n current knwledge, it appears that the risk factrs shuld be cnsidered as an integrated entity, i.e. technical factrs (pr accessibility t the waste, design f equipment) may act in cncert with high wrking rate, visual fatigue due t pr illuminatin and perhaps muscle fatigue due t high wrk lad.cmbustin, cmpsting, materials, sanitary landfills, waste dispsal, chemical reactins; crygenic fluids; decmpsitin, are sme ways f treating these waste, but fr a develping cuntry advancement in technlgy fr these prcesses shuld take place abut which this paper talks abut. This paper talks abut all the measures and aspects a develping natin like India shuld incrprate t effectively manage Slid and E-Waste. Keywrds: Bimedical waste, hazardus, recycling, dmestic waste, visual fatigue, illuminatin, decmpsitin [1] INTRODUCTION Waste is resurces ut f place. The prblem f Slid and E-waste has prmpted Envirnmental agencies f many cuntries t revlutinize, imprve and embrace envirnmentally sund ptins and plicies fr Slid and E-waste management, with a view t mitigate and cntrl the ever increasingrisk t the envirnment and human health. When it 1

2 SOLID AND E-WASTE MANAGEMENT: PROSPECTS OF A DEVELOPING NATION cmes t develping natin advancement in Waste Management scres tp pririty. India being a develping natin is striving twards a well-planned Slid and E-waste management envirnment. In the last tw decades, there has been an increase in the number f envirnmental plicies and legislatins fcusing n the prduct develpment prcess with a view t reducing the envirnmental impacts resulting frm the prducts; thrughut their entire lifecycle-frm prduct design, manufacture, thrugh t cnsumptin and eventual endf-life (EL) management E-waste management is given the tp imprtance in many develped cuntries, but in fast develping cuntries like India, it is difficult t cmpletely embrace r imitate the E- waste management system in develped cuntries due t many cuntry specific issues viz. sci-ecnmic cnditins, lack f infrastructure, lack f prper legislatins fr E- waste, apprach and cmmitments f the cncerned. The first majr prblem assciated with Slid and E-waste management is its ever increasing quantum, and secnd is its scientific and envirnment friendly dispsal, which is very critical. Hwever, the ttal magnitude f the prblem remains unclear as there is n fficial data n the illegal imprtatin f e-waste. Cnventinally, handling dmestic, industrial and cmmercial waste cmprised f cllectin shadwed by dispsal, usually away frm urban activity, which culd be waterways, Open Ocean r surface areas determined fr the purpse viz. landfills. With the augmented vlume and variety f hazards mdeled by new waste prducts, the state f affairs has surpassed its saturatin pint at many lcalities.). Primitive tls and methds ften invlve the pen burning f plastic waste, expsure t txic slders, acid baths t recver saleable materials and cmpnents frm WEEE with little r n safeguards t human health and the envirnment which results in plluting the land, air and water due t river dumping f acids and widespread general dumping). The cntrlled experiments characterizes very high emissin factrs f heavy metal, dixins and furans (bth chlrinated and brminated) in fly and residual ash frm the pen burning f PWBs and PVC-cated wires. The impacts f infrmal recycling f Slid and E-waste in develping cuntries like Indian human health and envirnment. India, a rapidly grwing natin shuld emphasize n requirements and cnsideratins fr develping aencyclpedic Slid and E-waste management system as stated belw Special lgistic requirements fr cllecting the Slid and E-waste frm the surce f its generatin and transprting t the site f dispsal and/r treatment/recycling/recvery/reuse. Slid and E-waste cntains many hazardus substances which are extremely dangerus t human health and envirnment, and therefre dispsal requires special treatment t minimize impacts in envirnment. Slid and E-waste is a rich surce f metals such as gld, silver and cpper, which can be recvered and recycled/reused int the prductin cycle. 2

3 Internatinal Jurnal f Research in Engineering, Technlgy and Science, Vlume VII, Special Issue, Feb editr@ijrets.cm, ISSN [2] SOLID AND E-WASTE GUIDELINES, RULES AND SCHEMES OF SEVERAL COUNTRIES Increasingly, cuntries in Eurpe and Asia (Japan, Taiwan, etc.) are putting in place takeback laws that require that the manufacturer take-back the used prducts at its end-f-life. Presently, mst attentin is fcused n brwn gds (cmputer, mbile phnes, etc.), white gds (refrigeratrs, air cnditiners, etc.), autmbiles and batteries which require special handling and treatment. [3] POLICIES: DEVELOPING NATION SHOULD ADOPT FROM The Eurpean Unin The Eurpean Unin has instituted plicies such as the Waste Electrical Electrnic Equipment, WEEE (Directive 2002/96/EC) and the Restrictin f Hazardus Substances RHS, (Directive 2002/96/EC) Directives, aimed at refining the envirnmental perfrmance f electrnic prducts. T address the requirement f these Directives, cmpanies in Eurpe have made significant innvatins t eliminate r mve tward zer material waste in the prducts life cycle. Traditinally, in the EU (and elsewhere), the legislative apprach tward envirnmental prblems has been ne f cmmand and cntrl, largely addressing end-fpipe pllutin prblems and Unfrtunately, mst develping cuntries are yet catch up with this innvatin in waste management. CANADA: Natinal stewardship principles f electrnics prducts. Includes prduct mixes, cnsumer access, and designatin f the respnsible parties, perfrmance targets and recycling standards. Its bjectives are t help, develp and deliver WEEE agendas in each Canadian prvince and territry, ensuring balance between envirnmental and ecnmic cnsideratin. Peple's Republic f China Law n the preventin f envirnmental pllutin frm slid waste (SEPA). Dispsal f municipal and industrial slid waste; use f slid wastes as raw materials. Management measure fr the preventin f pllutin frm electrnic prducts (MII). Restrictins n the use f hazardus substances (RHS); green prduct design; prvisin f infrmatin n the cmpnents, hazardus substances, and recycling. Regulatin fr the management f the recycling and dispsal f waste electrical and electrnic prducts (China WEEE). Cmplements China's RHS, 2006 and establish the regulatry regime fr the recvery, recycling and dispsal f electrnic and electrical prducts. Cvered prducts will be listed in a catalgue fr the dispsal f discarded electrnic and electrical prducts which 3

4 SOLID AND E-WASTE MANAGEMENT: PROSPECTS OF A DEVELOPING NATION Japan The law fr prmtin f the effective utilizatin f resurces. E-waste is cvered under used gds (means any articles that are cllected, used r unused, r is dispsed f, excluding radiactive materials r thse cntaminated thereby) and by-prducts (means any articles btained secndarily in the prcess f manufacturing, prcessing, repair r sale f the prduct; in prcess f supply f energy; r in the prcess f cnstructin pertaining t architecture and civil engineering excluding radiactive materials r thse cntaminated thereby). It cvers items like PCs and ther electrnic The law fr recycling f specified kinds f hme appliances (Hme) Philippines The law n Eclgical Slid Waste Management Act f Under this law cnsumer electrnics and white gds (majr husehld appliances like stves and refrigeratr, typically furnished with white enamels) was classified as special waste, which need t be handled separately frm ther residential and cmmercial wastes, hwever n specific and clear guidelines was given fr its handling. United States f America Prducer Respnsibility Bill in 15 States f US. Fifteen ut f the 21 state/cities f US have intrduced prducer respnsibility bills; Cnnecticut, Hawaii (+ ARF bills), Illinis, Massachusetts (+ ARF bills). Advance Recycling Fees (ARFs) in State f Califrnia. Slid Waste: Hazardus Electrnic Waste (SB 50, Sher). The state f Califrnia has intrduced a law fr cllecting the Advance Recycling Fee (ARF) frm the cnsumer at the time f purchase f new prduct. The system charges ARF ranging frm US $6 t US $10 fr electrnic items like TVs, laptps and mnitrs. [4] EXTENDED PRODUCER RESPONSIBILITY Observed that the emergence f the EPR cncept reflected several general trends in envirnmental plicy-making. These trends are the priritizatin f preventive measures ver end-f-pipe appraches, enhancement f lifecycle thinking and a shift frm the cmmand-and-cntrl apprach t a nnprescriptive, gal-riented apprach. It aims t incrprate incentive mechanisms fr industries t cntinuusly imprve their prducts and prcess. The plicy instruments that lie under EPR umbrella include different types f prduct fees and taxes, such as, advance recycling fees (ARFs), prduct takeback mandates, virgin material taxes, and cmbinatins f these instruments. Other plicies include pay-as-yu-thrw, waste cllectin charges, and landfill bans. Nted that a cst-effective instrument is ne that explits all the pssible avenues fr waste reductin, i.e., surce reductin, recycling, material substitutin, and prduct design changes, and nt just a single methd. 4

5 Internatinal Jurnal f Research in Engineering, Technlgy and Science, Vlume VII, Special Issue, Feb editr@ijrets.cm, ISSN Essentially, EPR is an indirect Eurpean Cmmissin legislative-based plicy designed t ensure that market pressures are harnessed t achieve envirnmental prtectin thrugh the management f EL. [5] SPEEDING UP PROCESS: NEED OF THE HOUR FOR DEVELOPING NATION A recycling plant newly pened in Mississauga utside Trnt, Sims Recycling Slutins, is leading the way in smart methds fr mapping up the recycling prcess. The facility is taking the expertise already in use in reprcessing facilities, like ptical sensrs and metal-separating machines, and smearing it exactly t e-waste. It can even cllect the dust and prcess that s nthing ges t waste. The advancement cmes as the cmpany tries t make recycling which is tugh t d. They rely n the fee charged n electrnics at the time f purchase as well as cllectin fees. That means that yes, even the dust is prized. The cmpany will be able t rute and resell 75,000 metric tns f e-waste annually. That's a entire lt f ld devices, frm vide display unit t cmputers t cell phnes, whse chunks can be re-purpsed. CNET's Martin LaMnica pens that txic material like flrescent bulbs and batteries are rganized ut earlier, then gadgets are tattered, sent dwn cnveyr belts where magnets separate metals, and sensrs pick ut glass frm plastics. While the prcess is mre high-tech and efficient, and is therefre a mdel fr the recycling industry, it als underscres the larger prblem f recycling -- it's cstly and a big difficulty. [6] THEORY AND PRACTICE: ERP The Organizatin fr Ecnmic Cperatin and Develpment (OECD) defined EPR as an envirnmental plicy apprach in which a prducers respnsibility fr a prduct is extended t the pst-cnsumer stage f a prducts life cycle including its final dispsal.epr has als been definedas a plicy principle t prmte ttal life cycle envirnmental imprvements f prduct systems by extending the respnsibilities f the manufacturer f the prduct t varius parts f the prducts lifecycle, and especially t the take-back, recvery, and final dispsal f the prduct. The EPR shifts respnsibility- either financial r physical- upstream t the prducers, and is intended t prvide incentives t prducers t incrprate envirnmental cnsideratins in the design f their prducts. While there are many definitins f EPR, it is generally described as a pllutin preventin plicy that fcuses n prduct systems rather than prductin facilities. Thus respnsibility fr the prduct is bradened beynd the emissins and effluents generated by the extractin r manufacturing prcesses t the management f the prduct nce it is discarded s as t reduce waste vlumes and management csts. 5

6 SOLID AND E-WASTE MANAGEMENT: PROSPECTS OF A DEVELOPING NATION Ecnmics may nt encurage EL prducts t be seen as assets, s legislatin is needed t frce take-back. Fr the prducer this means that their respnsibility as the prduct prducer is extended frm cnsidering the envirnmental impacts generated at the prductin facility t thse assciated with all phases f the prduct life cycle, in particular prduct cnsumptin and end-f-life. Due t envirnmental cncerns, the EPR legislatin are enunciated s as t hld the riginal supply chain players (manufacturers, imprters, retailers, etc.) respnsible fr the cllectin and recvery f end-f-life (EL) items. Manufacturers have usually fcused n the quality f a prduct and the cst. The envirnmental issues in a cmpany have been regarded as nly an end-f-pipe treatment t cmply with the envirnmental regulatins. Hwever, envirnmental cncerns abut a prduct gradually becme anther driving frce in business activity as EPR and envirnmental labeling. In EPR, the riginal equipment manufacturers (OEMs) utsurce the recycling and the verall deficit is charged t the cnsumer when buying a new prduct. The EPR plicy is based n the plluter-pay principle and is characterized by the shifting f respnsibility away frm the municipalities t include the csts f treatment and dispsal int the price f the prduct, reflecting the envirnmental impacts f the prduct. The EPR plicy is cnsidered by OECD as well as the EU as ne f the mst prmising means t cmbat the increasing generatin f waste and pllutin. It has been recgnized as a cncept which changes a balance f respnsibility amng the actrs f a prducts life cycle with a special attentin t the end f a prducts life. [7] THE MAIN GOALS OF EPR ARE: Waste Preventin And Reductin; Prduct Reuse; Increased Use Of Recycled Materials In Prductin; Reduced Natural Resurce Cnsumptin; Internalizatin Of Envirnmental Csts Int Prduct Prices; [8] THE RIGHT APPROACH Mandated prduct take-back With this plicy apprach, the gvernment mandates that manufacturers, imprters and/r retailer take-back prducts at the end f the prducts useful life. Mandated prduct take-back is usually cmbined with sme kind f recycling r waste diversin target. Fr example, the gvernment may require that each prducer meet a recycling rate gal f say, 6

7 Internatinal Jurnal f Research in Engineering, Technlgy and Science, Vlume VII, Special Issue, Feb editr@ijrets.cm, ISSN % fr its prducts. T meet these requirements, the prducers ften frm a prducer respnsibility rganizatin, PRO. PROs are ften instituted as a cperative industry effrt t cllectively shulder the respnsibility f its member cmpanies t meet their EPR bligatins. Vluntary prduct take-back In this apprach, the prducers agree t rganize a take-back system fr their prducts and set recycling gals. In this scenari, there are n laws r gvernment regulatins mandating cmpliance and n penalties fr nt meeting the gals. The vluntary appraches are the preferred frm f implementing EPR strategies, mainly t avid the prmulgatin f natinal regulatins. Other ecnmic instruments/appraches t EPR include advance recycling fee (ARF) r advance dispsal fee (ADF), and depsit-refund schemes. ARF r ADF is a tax assessed n prduct sales and ften used t cver the cst f recycling r dispsal f prducts at their EL. ARFs are ften assessed per unit f the prduct sld but can als be assessed n a weight basis. This can als be based n the ptential txicity f the prduct. [9] CONCLUSION The paper prpsed a natinal unifrm E-waste management system fr India based n the current, scietal, financial, wrk-related and eclgicalsituatin, requirements and analysis in light f varius successful practices, methds fllwed in varius cuntries.. It may intensify the E-waste cllectin and lead t mre apprpriate use f resurces including technical expertise and technlgies fr better E-waste management. The Indian E-waste system requires numerus refrms fr the envirnmentally sund and cntrlled scientific prcessing f E-waste. Additinal, studies, reflectins and study are essential fr imprving the rules, legislature and laws related t E-waste t suit the Indian scenari. Als there exists a need fr finding ut the greatest envirnmental friendly recycling/dispsal prcesses and treatment ptins fr treatment f the E-waste cntaining the varius txic and hazardus materials. Althugh very few private initiatives have recgnized the amenities fr the E-waste treatment in few cities like Bangalre, Chennai, and Nida which are running and handling the E-waste in mre systematic and envirnmental friendly way. 7

8 SOLID AND E-WASTE MANAGEMENT: PROSPECTS OF A DEVELOPING NATION REFERENCE [1] P. Agamuthu, K.M. Khidzir, F.S. Hamil, Drivers f sustainable waste management in Asia, [2] Bandypadhyay,, A regulatry apprach fr E-waste management: a crss-natinal review f current practice and plicy with an assessment and plicy recmmendatin fr the Indian perspective,j Envirn Waste Manage, vl.2 (Ns. 1/2) (2008), pp [3] P. Chen, WEEE recycling and legislatin develpment, In Electrnics Ges Green 2004, Berlin (2004) September 6 8, [4] A. Haque, I. Mujtaba, J. Bell, A simple mdel fr cmplex waste recycling scenaris in develping cuntries, In Waste Manage, 20 (2000), pp [5] M. Mundada, S. Kumar, A. Shekdar, E-waste: a new challengefr waste management in India,InEnvirn Stud, 61 (3) (2003), pp [6] J. B. Perssn, Ec-indicatrs in prduct develpment, In Prc Inst Mech Eng B J Eng Manuf, 215 (5) (2001), pp [7] UNEP, 2009, UNEP, Develping integrated slid waste management plan training manual vlume 2: assessment f current waste management system and gaps therein United Natins Envirnment Prgramme (UNEP) (2009) < [8] D.C. Wilsn, Develpment drivers fr waste management, In Waste Manage Res, 25 (2007), pp