The Grass Is Not Green Enough

Next time you can't think of what to do with your used mobile phone or computer or if you want to throw away your old batteries or CDs, apart from thinking to relegate them to an unused corner of the room, start hunting around for some 'Bins', where these products will be taken from you and will be disposed in an environmentally beneficial fashion.

A rapid increase in the usage of consumer electronic products, contribution to the change in the technology and huge disposal of these products leads to e-waste. Yes, it does sound like another attempt to hype up the need to be environment-friendly, but are the solution providers really looking towards
e-waste management as a lucrative business opportunity?

What is e-waste management?

According to the WEEE Directive, electronic waste processing systems have matured in recent years following increased regulatory, public, and commercial scrutiny, and a commercial increase in entrepreneurial interest.

This has also evolved and involved greater diversion of electronic waste from energy intensive down cycling process, which is better known as conventional recycling, where the particular equipment is reverted to a raw material form. And basically this diversion is achieved through reuse and refurbishing.

Also according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Mumbai tops the list of e-waste producing cities in the country followed closely by Delhi at the second position. The board also predicts the country's annual e-waste production will touch the 8,00,000 tonnes mark by 2012.

Rules of e-waste management

According to the Toxic Links, a campaign group, about 30 million computers are thrown out every year in the US alone, and many are dumped in India and China. Some 70 percent of the heavy metals in landfills come from electrical equipment waste.

As far as the Indian laws on e-waste management are concerned, the draft of the new rules called the e-waste (Management and Handling) Rules 2010 was made available on the website of the Ministry of Environment and Forests. Under the draft rules it is mandatory for the producers to include manufactures of products under their own brand as well as those who sell under their brand, products that are manufactured by contractors. Importers of products for sale in India are also included under the classification.

The rules for e-waste management which are displayed on the site are:
The producer shall be responsible for:

• Any waste generated during the manufacture of electrical and electronic equipment.
• Organizing an effective take back system for all used electrical and electronic equipments which are no longer fit for its intended use.
• Authorizing dealers of electrical and electronic equipments to collect used equipments (e-waste).
• Facilitating to set up collection centers either individually or collectively for the collection of e-wastes.
• Meeting the targets as per the guidelines published from time to time.
• Ensuring that all products are provided with a specific serial number or individual identification code for tracking their product in the e-waste management system.

Destination Solution Providers
It seems that despite the abysmal lack of awareness and initiative regarding the safe e-waste management in the country, there are just few SPs who understand its importance and are taking certain steps to involve themselves in this segment.

Chetan Shah, MD, Xpress Computers sharing his views on the same said, “Largely SPs are aware about the concept of need for e-waste management system.Though it can be said that e-waste management is taken very lightly by the trade, users and the government authorities as well.”

Talking about the same, Harinder Salwan, Director, Tricom Multimedia said, “e-Waste is a major environment problem, globally and in Third World countries like India there is no much attention paid to it either by the customers, dealers or by the government. Most of the SPs are not aware of the concept of e-waste management and how it has to be handled primarily because we still depend upon the road side kabadiwala to take away the broken or condemned electronic
waste. We still have to come across an established organization in the field of e-waste management.”

When asked that if he considers e-waste as a lucrative business opportunity, Salwan commented, “In a developing economy like India there is a good business opportunity, but then today we are acting as dumping grounds for developed economies who are serious about the dangers of e-waste and are sending their goods to Third World countries for recycling. The business owner in this country has to be vigilant while handling e-waste (for example the CRT tubes of monitors are a major hazard). It is to be known that not all e-waste is reusable or recyclable. Since there are lot of by-products during recycling of e-waste, depending on the type of products that you are into you have margins enough to sustain your business but then you are adding a lot of toxins and pollution in the environment which also needs to be controlled.”

Shah from Xpress Computers however seemed to agree and added that it will be a good opportunity for the early movers. But he also is skeptical about the same as the Indian Govt is on the verge of implementing a law on this issue and there might be stringent guidelines and heavy investments involved. He also mentioned clearly that he has no plans of venturing into this segment in the time line.

But Kedar Shah from Nirmal Datacomm and Ketan Barai from Kaybee Infotech two of the leading SPs are not interested in e-waste management. “It is definitely an opportunity to help the customers and make e-waste friendly in every manner, provided if rules are made mandatory by the SPs. If the latest law passed by the government is implemented then it will help in many customers initiating and helping the service providers to get the license (certificate). Because it is compulsory to obtain a certificate according to the rules of e-waste management and the SPs will have to supervise the entire activity. As far as the margin is considered in this segment, it totally depends on the competition as the market in India is very crowded,” elucidated Nitin Shah, Chairman and MD, Allied Digital Services.

Are SPs really going e-way?

It seems that e-waste management in the major Indian cities and the initiatives taken in the country by SPs will help in achieving better environmental conditions. Apart from this if SPs take up the corporate social responsibility to promote e-waste, then this would certainly enhance the demand for safe re-cycling.

Minakshi Shetty
(minakshis@cybermedia.co.in)