: Many leading electronic and electrical brands continue to shirk their responsibility under e-waste rules, the latest Toxics Link study ‘Time to Reboot-II’ has revealed.
The report, which was released on Tuesday, rated 51 national and multinational electronic producers in India based on their actions and initiatives on e-waste. Of the 51, 17 firms were found to be showing minimal or no effort towards e-waste management while seven companies scored a zero in the rating system, suggesting serious non-compliance to e-waste rules - 2011. Only three brands were found to have made a good effort to fulfill their responsibility.
Criteria of the rating system included take-back mechanism, restriction in use of hazardous substance compliance, adequacy of collection points, sufficiency and accessibility of information regarding e-waste, etc. Based on their rating, the firms were put in four categories: Red, yellow, blue and green. Red signifies no e-waste management while green implies good e-waste management.
The rating and the report is an attempt by Toxics Link, a Delhi-based environmental organisation, to highlight the lack of compliance on e-waste rules and help producers improve their systems.
The study, done between June and September this year, reveals that take-back mechanism, a key responsibility entrusted to the brands under the rules, has not even been set up by 12 producers.
This study, which is in continuation to ‘Time to Reboot’ released in 2014, found hardly any improvements in the performance of the producers in relation to the previous year.
“It is a matter of serious concern to see that collection points of 32 brands were non functional – leaving little choice for consumers who want to safely dispose off their e-waste,” said Priti Banthia Mahesh, Chief Programme Coordinator of Toxics Link.
E-waste contains toxic materials such as mercury, lead, cadmium, and brominated flame retardants that are extremely harmful to humans and the environment. E-waste pollution affects the nervous system, kidneys, and lungs.
“Many of these brands are the same that earnestly follow e-waste rules in other countries. Why they are not doing so in India is a matter of concern,” said Satish Sinha, Associate Director of Toxics Link.
The study strongly recommends maintenance of a national registry of the producers of electronic and electrical goods, which will help in minimising the free riders. “The report provides a glimpse of how reputed brands are handling e-waste. Perhaps this report will help them pay more attention in undertaking their e-waste responsibilities, which may also influence other companies who are not doing anything at all,” said Ravi Agarwal, Director of Toxics Link.
