E-waste is an issue posing environmental and humanitarian concerns around the world. To manage the e-waste problem, countries like India are stepping up for Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) solutions. Here we explore the fundamentals of the India e-waste supply chain, the benefits of e-waste recycling, including the exploration of the India-specific EPR solution, and finally, how TecEx has partnered with the E-Waste Recyclers India (EWRI) to assist in the EPR efforts.
What is Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)?
The purpose of the EPR certification is to ensure the proper recycling, reuse, and disposal of waste generated from electronic products.
India has implemented a mandatory EPR registration for Electronic-Electrical Equipment (EEE) and plastic producers. As such, Indian tech businesses are required to engage in some level of e-waste management. EPR has thus evolved to include reverse logistics services for the reuse, recycling, and proper discarding of electronic products, led predominantly by the e-waste collection mechanism.
The idea of EPR is centered around producers assuming responsibility for managing the waste generated by their products. While EPR is recognized as an efficient waste management policy to help improve recycling and reduce landfilling, not all governments have implemented EPR initiatives.
How Does EPR Affect Importers?
Importers are held accountable for EPR compliance. Any products brought into India must abide by the EPR legislation. Importers must collaborate with their importer/authorized representative to apply for the EPR certification in advance.
Who is EPR Mandatory For?
EPR Certification is mandatory for:
- Any manufacturer, producer, importer, refurbisher, and recycler involved in the greater supply chain of electronic and electronic equipment
- Every producer, importer, brand owner with plastic packaging, plastic shee, and plastic waste.
- Importers of items such as primary products, chemicals, machinery, textiles wrapped or packed in plastic packaging.
What is E-waste?
Electronic waste (e-waste) is a term for unwanted, broken, damaged, or obsolete electronic products that have reached the end of their useful life and ultimately get discarded. E-waste also includes rejects from the manufacturing, refurbishment, and repair processes.
Smartphones, laptops, televisions, and similar electronic devices are all considered e-waste. In some cases, bigger items like air conditioners, refrigerators, and washing machines may be considered e-waste depending on their technological makeup. Unlike plastic waste, these modern devices can contain hazardous substances such as lead and mercury. Improper waste disposal of electronic devices can damage the environment and pose considerable health risks.
E-waste also contains many valuable, recoverable materials such as aluminum, copper, gold, silver, plastics, and ferrous metals. To conserve both natural resources and the energy needed to produce new hardware from virgin resources, electronic equipment can be refurbished, reused, and recycled instead of being sent to a landfill. This concept forms a fundamental feature of EPR and e-waste management.
E-waste contains toxic and hazardous substances, including heavy metals such as mercury, lead, cadmium, chromium, beryllium, and chemical flame retardants — all of which have the potential to leach into our soil and water. EPR and the correct processing and waste disposal of electronic products have been implemented to minimize the impact of these hazardous materials on our environment.
Both developing and developed countries have an e-waste problem due to consumers improperly disposing of their electronic devices. Instead of keeping old electronics in the house or dumping them in landfills, recycling, or reusing them is an appropriate option that individuals and organizations should support.
Considering the benefits of electronics recycling, it is essential that people around the world embrace this concept by setting up e-waste collections and making the recycling of e-waste easier.
What Are The Benefits of EPR eWaste Recycling?
EPR Implementation
TecEx has partnered with the E-Waste Recyclers India (EWRI) for the collection of e-waste on a pan-India basis and disposes of the waste at EWRI’s plant, located at Shed No.15, Roz ka Meo Industrial Area, Nuh, Haryana, India.
EWRI has engaged with reverse logistics service provider Professional Logistics Limited for e-waste collection.
Customers can place their request on the toll-free number 1800-102-5679. The customer may either:
- Sell their old electronic products under the TecEx buy-back scheme, or
- Our representatives will explain the disposal process to the customer and make them aware of the nearest drop-off point available to hand over the e-waste. India e-waste collection centers are located in popular areas like New Delhi, Mumbai, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, and more courtesy of EWRI.
If the customer wants to hand over the e-waste from their doorstep/designated location, EWRI/Professional Logistics Limited will collect the items and channel them to EWRI’s plant for final processing.
What to Consider for Extended Producer Responsibility
EPR Dos for Customers
- Always look for information in the product’s catalog for instructions on proper disposal.
- Ensure that only authorized recycling facilities/dismantlers handle your old electronic products.
- Always call our toll-free number to dispose of products, gadgets, batteries, and accessories that have reached their end of life.
- Always disconnect the battery from the product and ensure any glass surface is protected against breakage.
EPR Don’ts for Customers
EPR Dos for Customers
- Always look for information in the product’s catalog for instructions on proper disposal.
- Ensure that only authorized recycling facilities/dismantlers handle your old electronic products.
- Always call our toll-free number to dispose of products, gadgets, batteries, and accessories that have reached their end of life.
- Always disconnect the battery from the product and ensure any glass surface is protected against breakage.
EPR Don’ts for Customers
- Do not dismantle your electronic products on your own.
- Do not throw electronics with “Do Not Dispose” signs in garbage bins.
- Do not give e-waste to informal and unorganized sectors like local scrap dealers/rag pickers.
- Do not dispose of your product in garbage bins along with municipal waste that ultimately reaches landfills.
Now You Know:
India is the third largest producer of e-waste in the world, after China and the United States, and in 2020-2021, India generated 10.14 million tonnes of e-waste.
Let’s find a solution that
works for you
Fill in the form to get in touch, and our expert team will contact you with a bespoke customs compliance solution to suit your needs.
Let’s find a solution that works for you
Fill in the form to get in touch, and our expert team will contact you with a bespoke customs compliance solution to suit your needs.