The best option for dealing with E wastes is to reduce the volume. Designers should ensure that the product is built for re-use, repair and/or upgradeability. Stress should be laid on use of less toxic, easily recoverable and recyclable materials which can be taken back for refurbishment, remanufacturing, disassembly and reuse.Recycling and reuse of material are the next level of potential options to reduce e-waste. Recovery of metals, plastic, glass and other materials reduces the magnitude of e-waste. These options have a potential to conserve the energy and keep the environment free of toxic material that would otherwise have been released.
It is high time the manufactures, consumers, regulators, municipal authorities, state governments, and policy makers take up the matter seriously so that the different critical elements are addressed in an integrated manner. It is the need of the hour to have an “e waste-policy” and national regulatory frame work for promotion of such activities.
An e Waste Policy is best created by those who understand the issues. So it is best for industry to initiate policy formation collectively, but with user involvement. Sustainability of e-waste management systems has to be ensured by improving the effectiveness of collection and recycling systems (e.g., public–private partnerships in setting up buy-back or drop-off centers) and by designing-in additional funding e.g., advance recycling fees.
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) is an environmental policy approach in which a producer’s responsibility for a product is extended to the post consumer stage of the product’s life cycle, including its final disposal. In principle, all the actors along the product chain share responsibility for the life cycle environmental impacts of the whole product system. The greater the ability of the actor to influence the environmental impacts of the product system, the greater the share of responsibility for addressing those impacts should be. These actors are the consumers, the suppliers, and the product manufacturers. Consumers can affect the environmental impacts of products in a number of ways: via purchase choices (choosing environmental friendly products), via maintenance and the environmental conscious operation of products, and via careful disposal (e.g., separated disposal of appliances for recycling). Suppliers may have a significant influence by providing manufacturers with environmental friendly materials and components. Manufacturers can reduce the life-cycle environmental impacts of their products through their influence on product design, material choices, manufacturing processes, product delivery, and product system support. The system design needs to be such that there are checks and balances, especially to prevent free riders. The goals of the product designer could include reducing toxicity, reducing energy use, streamlining product weight and materials, identifying opportunities for easier reuse, and more.
Manufacturers have to improve the design by: (i) the substitution of hazardous substances such as lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium and certain brominated flame retardants;(ii) measures to facilitate identification and re-use of components and materials, particularly plastics;and (iii) measures to promote the use of recycled plastics in new products.
Manufacturers should give incentives to their customers for product return through a “buy back approach” whereby old electronic goods are collected and a discount could be given on new products purchased by the consumer. All vendors of electronic devices shall provide take-back and management services for their products at the end of life of those products. The old electronic product should then be sent back to be carefully dismantled for its parts to be either recycled or re-used, either in a separate recycling division at the manufacturing unit or in a common facility.
Collection systems are to be established so that e-waste is collected from the right places ensuring that this directly comes to the recycling unit. Collection can be accomplished through collection centers. Each electronic equipment manufacturer shall work cooperatively with collection centers to ensure implementation of a practical and feasible financing system.Collection centers may only ship wastes to dismantlers and recyclers that are having authorization for handling, processing, refurbishment, and recycling meeting environmental sound management guidelines. Here is where Attero plays a pivotal role. We make sure we handle your e waste responsibly and in environmental friendly ways.
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