E-waste in India originates from both domestic production of electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) and the importation of such equipment into the country. The concept of “Products placed on the market” (POM) in a given financial year serves as a crucial dataset for calculating e-waste generation.
Estimating the volume of e-waste generated by India requires data on the number of units or weight of appliances introduced to the market by equipment producers, along with knowledge of the average lifespan of these products. Presently, individual producers’ e-waste generation is determined by considering the quantity of EEE placed on the market in preceding years and factoring in the average equipment lifespan.
Methodology for Estimating
The formula for calculating e-waste generation from end-of-life products is as follows:
E-waste generation (weight or quantity) in a year (X) = Sales in (X – z) years X weight or quantity, where z represents the average lifespan of the EEE.
For instance, to compute the e-waste generated by a producer in the personal computing segment (such as personal laptops) in the year 2019–20, with a CPCB-set average laptop lifespan of five years, data from laptops placed on the market (POM) in 2015–16 by the producer is consulted.
Domestic Production & Imports:
India accounts for approximately 3% of global hardware electronics production, contributing 2.3% to the country’s GDP through domestic electronics production. The production of mobile handsets, LCDs, and LEDs has significantly increased in recent years, with domestic production meeting a growing portion of consumer demand.
While imports of e-waste are banned under the Hazardous and Other Wastes (Management and Transboundary Movement) Rules, 2016, challenges persist due to the difficulty in differentiating between e-waste and second-hand goods. Lack of manpower and machinery at ports hampers efforts to prevent e-waste entry, with major ports like Mumbai and Jawaharlal Nehru serving as significant entry points.
**Global and Indian Perspectives:**
E-waste generation is influenced by consumption patterns, which evolve with changing social strata. Table 2: Statistics of top five e-waste generating countries in 2019 provides insights into per capita generation and total e-waste produced by leading global contributors.
— Let me know if there’s anything else you’d like to refine or expand upon!
