Much has been written and said about e-waste over the past few months. It is now time to start taking tangible action!
It is not easy being green, and many people do not know how or where to start. In order to assist you to “kick-start” your green initiatives, we have recommended some actions for you to adopt:
1. Technical interventions
Product design and engineering interventions
The solution for the e-waste crisis lies in 'prevention at the manufacturing source' or the 'precautionary principle'. This can be done by employing waste minimisation techniques and by a sustainable product design.
Waste minimisation in industries involves adopting:
* Inventory management
* Production process modification
* Volume reduction
* Recovery and re-use
Sustainable product design involves:
* Rethinking on procedures of designing the product (flat computers)
* Use of renewable material and energy
* Creating electronic components and peripherals of biodegradable material
* Looking at a green packaging option
* Utilising a minimum packaging material
Extended producer responsibility is considered one of the most appropriate frameworks, which amalgamates all the enlisted principles on environmental justice. This shifts the responsibility of safe disposal onto the producers. It promotes sound environmental technology and also aims at better raw material, cleaner production technology and designing for longevity.
* Restructuring recycling:
Some recycling procedures require improvements, upgrading (both in skills and technologies), and some have to be abandoned altogether due to severe risks for health and the environment.
2. Policy-level interventions
* Clear definition of e-waste for regulation
* Import and export regulatory regime
* An integrated IT waste management policy
Lack of clarity on the issue of e-waste and the inability of current hazardous waste rules to govern and effectively monitor the e-waste recycling are some of the prime reasons for experts and members of civil society demanding a separate set of rules to guide and control these processes.
* Take-back policies
Producers must be responsible for the entire life cycle of their products. Please go to www.ewasa.org to find a collection point or disposal service for end-customers.
3. Implementation and capacity building
* Legislation for collection, recycling and disposal
* Institutional capacity building
* Formalising the informal recycling sector
3.1 Technical advantage of processes improvement (restructuring recycling)
At Ash Recyclers, one of just two authorised recycling plants in Bangalore, hazardous metals are safely extracted at a special plant, and everything else - down to the keys - is recycled. In South Africa, initiatives are under way to establish “world-class recycling plants”.
3.2 Protective protocol for workers in e-waste disposal
Workers are given formally recognised jobs where they can use skills and where occupational health safety (information about their occupation-related health hazards involved and self-protection, protective gear and equipment, and periodic medical check-ups) is assured.
* Bilateral and multilateral co-operation
4. Awareness building
The current awareness regarding the existence and dangers of e-waste are extremely low, partly because the e-waste being generated is not as large as in developed countries. Urgent measures are required to address this issue.
The role of citizens in e-waste management includes:
* Donating electronics for re-use, which extends the lives of valuable products and keeps them out of the waste management system for a long time;
* Opting for electronic products that are made with fewer toxic constituents, use recycled content, are energy efficient, are designed for easy upgrading or disassembly, use minimal packaging and offer leasing or take-back options; and
* Building of consumer awareness through public awareness campaigns, which is a crucial point that can attribute to a new, responsible kind of consumerism.
The need of the hour is an urgent approach to the e-waste hazard by technical and policy-level interventions, implementation and capacity building. We must increase public awareness such that it can convert this challenge into an opportunity to show the world that South Africa is ready to deal with future problems and can set global credible standards concerning environmental and occupational health.
Acknowledgements:
Violet N Pinto, Department of Community Medicine, Dr DY Patil, Medical College and Hospital, Nerul, Navi Mumbai
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