Existing Legislation

Factories Act 1948 (amended till 1987): There are several contaminants arising out from manufacturing or recycling of electronic components and are listed in this Act.

Environmental Protection Rules 1986 (amended till 2004):
There is no direct standard, which can address pollutants from an electronics manufacturing or recycling industries. However certain PCB units fall in electroplating category and are therefore required to be abide by the effluent disposal norms as given in schedule 1 of this rules.

Hazardous waste (management and Handling) rules 1989, amended in 2003:

• Schedule 2 of this act can be applied for the disposal of e-waste.
• Schedule 3 entry at SI. No. A1180: Waste electrical and electronic assemblies (For EXIM i. e. Export Import)
• Schedule 3 entry at SI. No. B1110: Electrical and electronic assemblies not valid for direct reuse but for recycling (For EXIM)

Hazardous Waste (management, Handling and Transboundary movement) rules 08:

• Part A of Schedule III (Basal No. 1180) consists of list of e-waste applicable for import with prior informed consent.
• Part B of schedule III (Basal No. 1110) deals with list of e-waste applicable for import and export not requiring prior informed consent.

Basal Convention:The Basal convention on the control of transboundary movements of hazardous wastes and their disposal, adopted by a conference in Basal (Switzerland) in 1989, was developed under UNEP.

Guidelines: Guidlines for environmentally sound management for e-waste are given by CPCB. (Visit http://www.cpcb.nic.in/e_Waste.php for further details)

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