Electronic Waste or E-Waste is the discarded electronic devices or the electricals after the end of its useful life. Also, the electronics which are destined for refurbishment, reuse, recycle, resale, salvage or disposal are considered as E-waste.

The electronic scarp such as CPUs, contain potentially harmful elements like- lead, cadmium, beryllium and brominated flame retardants. Recycling and disposal of e-waste may be harmful and involves significant risk to the health of workers and the community.

As per the Global E-Waste Monitor Report, 41.8MT of total e-waste was generated in the year 2014. It is estimated that waste generation in absolute terms is expected to rise by 76% in the next 15 years. Thus the magnitude of e-waste generation would be huge if not controlled today.

Recognizing this problem the Government of India has provided e waste certificate registration for E-waste recycling and disposal.

Why should this Certificate be obtained?

E-Waste contains several toxic elements such as lead, cadmium, beryllium, mercury etc. which must be processed, recycled and disposed of properly. About 95% of e-waste produced in India is handled by the informal recycling sector. The industry e waste certification programs are very important because it sets standards required for safer recycling and disposal of waste. To prevent environmental and health hazards due to e-waste, we need to know some benefits of this certification.

• It distinguishes the companies and positions it as preferred recyclers of e-waste and proper disposal.

• Ensures transparency and indicates a company’s compliance level.

Thus EPR certification creates a sense of confidence that an organization is abiding by the waste disposal standards. Responsible e-waste recyclers ensure that data is either put into processing or kept in a safe place until it is properly processed and disposed off.