UPDATE

It has been 3 years since the E-waste Rules came into effect, but this toxic waste is still polluting our air, water and soil. The rules were meant to improve e-waste management I the country, but not much has changed on the ground, as waste still flows in the informal sector and is managed in an unscientific manner. Is it because of some gaps in the rules or have the regulatory agencies been lax? Are there gaps in collection mechanism or lack of awareness among the general public is the reason behind mismanagement of e-waste?

To find answers to some of these critical questions, Toxics Link organized a day long workshop on ‘Systems Failure: Time to Reboot’. The workshop aimed at engaging different stakeholders to understand the current gaps and challenges in successful implementation of the Rules and chart out concrete suggestions to change the situation. The meeting had more than 60 participants including manufacturers, recyclers, industry association, and consultants, participated in the meeting.

 They key recommendations that emerged from the workshop were:

•  Producer consultation before fixing the targets
• Recycling standards to be framed for improved recycling facilities
• Third party certification for recyclers
• Customs to be made a stakeholder in the e-waste rules
• Online authorization and registration process
• Stringent penalization process