A roadmap for development of sustainable E-waste management system in India

The problem of E-waste has forced Environmental agencies of many countries to innovate, develop and adopt environmentally sound options and strategies for E-waste management with a view to mitigate and control the ever growing threat of E-waste to the environment and human health E-waste management is given the top priority in many developed countries but in rapid developing countries like India it is difficult to completely adopt or replicate the E-waste management system in developed countries due to many country specific issues viz socio-economic conditions lack of infrastructure absence of appropriate legislations for E-waste approach and commitments of the concerned etc This paper presents a review and assessment of the E-waste management system of developed as well as developing countries with a special emphasis on Switzerland which is the first country in the world to have established and implemented a formal E-waste management system and has recycled 11 kg/capita of WEEE against the target of 4 kg/capita set by EU And based on the discussions of various approaches laws legislations practices of different countries a road map for the development of sustainable and effective E-waste management system in India for ensuring environment, as well as occupational safety and health is proposed (C) 2010 Elsevier BV All rights reserved