E-Waste Management in India

Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) organized a webinar to present the findings of its report E-waste management in India- Challenges and Agenda on 26^th February 2021. The webinar highlighted the current status of electronic waste management in India, the existing policies, and the way ahead. The public webinar was attended by waste management practitioners, officials from central and state urban departments and municipalities, urban and town planners, academicians, students, NGO representatives, etc. 

The following sessions were taken during the webinar: 

Inaugural Session: The welcome address was given by Atin Biswas, Director, SWM, CSE, and further moderated the programme. Addressing the meeting, Mr. Biswas highlighted the objective of the webinar and also set the context for the discussion to be carried out during the webinar. 

First session: In the first session, Siddharth Ghanshyam Singh- Deputy Programme Manager at CSE presented the key findings of the report and highlighted the latest developments pertaining to e-waste management in the country. 

Second session: Second session was conducted by Dr. Sandip Chatterjee, Director, MeitY, Government of India. He spoke about the current trends in domestic production of electronics in India, e-waste generation potential of the country, latest technological initiatives and some research areas where the ministry is currently focussing.

Third Session: The third session was conducted by Dr. Rachna Arora, Team Leader & Coordinator, EU – REI, India, GIZ, she spoke the policy options to enhance EPR and its awareness in India, she also mentioned about the importance of re-iterating the policy level changes that need to be incorporated to manage e-waste efficiently.

Fourth session: The fourth session was conducted by Dr. Deepali Sinha Khetriwal, Managing Director, Sofies Sustainability Leaders Pvt Ltd., India. She illustrated how more and more countries are coming up with legislations on e-waste. She also stressed on the importance of inventorization of e-waste, data transparency and how e-waste can be an engine for green growth.

Fifth Session: The fifth session was conducted by Mr. Pranshu Singhal, Founder, Karo Sambhav. He presented how the current arrangement of e-waste management in India is placed and what is the way forward to come up with better strategies and policies for an efficient management of e-waste.

Q&A session: The sessions were followed by a round of questions and answers which were diligently answered by all the panelists’, this session received a very heavy number of questions which were regarding e-waste management in credibility of data, lack of awareness and compliance. CSE representatives and the panellists answered most of the relevant questions.

Concluding session: The session was concluded on the note that we have come far from where we started, however, we still have a long way to go. It was also pointed out that there is a pressing need for holding producersaccountable, ensuring enforcement, raising awareness of common people and building capacities of government officials.

For further details

Siddharth Ghanshyam Singh
9768902012,
siddharth.singh@cseindia.org