“Education should include emphasis on the creation of a circular economy” : Radhika Kalia, MD, RLG India
CXOToday has engaged in an exclusive interview with Radhika Kalia, MD, RLG India
1.What are the major challenges in managing e-waste and how can they be overcome?
Indeed, managing e-waste has many major challenges, and honestly, these are faced by governments, businesses, and individuals across the globe. I would mention some challenges and ways in which those may be overcome, and also how we have been looking to surmount those challenges and the extent to which we have been successful.
Lack of awareness among people is a key challenge. Many people are not aware of the environmental impact of e-waste, and they often discard their electronic devices by selling them off to scrap dealers or simply throwing them away. This way, such waste ends up in landfills or other inappropriate places. We, at RLG India, conduct various awareness programs, seminars, and workshops to educate consumers, businesses, and institutions about the importance of responsible e-waste disposal. We utilize digital platforms and social media to reach a wider audience and promote sustainable e-waste management practices, also partner with local communities, schools, and other organizations to organize e-waste collection drives and awareness events. The Clean to Green Campaign by RLG India, for example, has been successful in spreading awareness about responsible e-waste disposal and promoting e-waste collection across the country. The campaign’s multifaceted approach, combining educational programs, digital outreach, and collaborative efforts, has effectively engaged various stakeholders and contributed to the growth of e-waste collection rates.
Illegal dumping of e-waste is another serious problem, especially in developing countries. Many companies and individuals discard their e-waste illegally, which can cause serious environmental damage. This is particularly true in relation to the informal sector.
It is a fact that over 90% of the collection is still done by the informal sector. Informal workers are also involved in the recycling of e-waste, but that is done in an improper manner. The practices followed are indeed dangerous, for example, parts are washed in rivers and water bodies, and after the valuable material is extracted, the remaining waste still ends up in landfills. We have been continuously working towards establishing a formal e-waste management infrastructure in the country, and the development of a circular economy. We focus particularly on e-waste awareness, seek to accelerate the pace of dissemination of information and enhance the level of awareness with respect to the importance of adopting proper e-waste disposal and recycling methods across the entire country. Via our C2G Campaign from FY 17-18 to FY 22-23, we have reached out to people in 26 states & 7 UT’s, outreaching stakeholders in the sphere of Schools, College, RWA’s, Office Clusters, Retailers, Bulk Consumers, and Informal Sector.
Inadequate infrastructure is also a major barrier. Proper disposal and recycling of e-waste require specialized infrastructure, including recycling plants, which are not always available in several regions. Setting up infrastructure requires time and combined effort from the government and private players active in the sector.
Another major issue is data availability in relation to the various initiatives that are carried out. For example, for a given rule established by the government with respect to setting up of facilities or inclusion of stakeholders, it takes time to see how actually things are able to work out, and what are the bottlenecks. It is after an examination of feedback and data that decisions regarding future courses of action may be taken. Again, this requires extensive coordination and initiative from government and private bodies.
Lack of participation from the general public is also a key challenge, given the fact that many people ask for money in return for parting with their e-waste. We have set a fixed rate card for paying consumers who give us their e-waste.
- While there is increasing awareness that e-waste has a negative effect on the environment and human health, how can we further encourage people to recycle their e-waste instead of disposing of it in landfills?
Yes, there has been visible increase in awareness towards rising volumes of e-waste and the need for responsible disposal of such waste, but to be fair and practical, users need to be facilitated with systems that help them in easily disposing off their waste and spare them unwanted hassle. Honestly, we cannot expect someone to first search for a collection point and then travel farther away to drop their discarded gadgets and then travel back home. It is important to enable users by opening collection centres at short distances near residences and workplaces so that they may not have to go out of their way to drop used and discarded electronic items. Thus, convenience is a key element that needs to be addressed.
Continual education is an indispensable element, and we have spoken about it earlier. To reiterate, it is necessary to keep educating and raising awareness about the negative impacts of e-waste on the environment and human health to motivate people to recycle their e-waste. This can be and is being done through public campaigns, social media, and educational programs in schools, colleges, RWAs, etc. Education should include emphasis on the creation of a circular economy by stressing the need to keep resources in use for as long as possible and minimizing waste.
Incentivising responsible behaviour may prove to be a powerful tool. Honestly, money is a one of the, if not the most, powerful driver. We have spoken about how users seek money to give away their e-waste. So offering them enough to exhibit responsible behaviour would be an important element that needs to be incorporated and sustained, at least for the foreseeable future. Other similar methods may include providing incentives such as discounts or gift vouchers for people who recycle their e-waste, and can help encourage others to participate in e-waste recycling programs and behaviours. Collaboration between governments, private companies, and non-government organizations could help create a more comprehensive and effective e-waste recycling program. This could also lead to more recycling options and education for the public.
- How can the electronics industry become more sustainable and reduce the amount of e-waste produced?
This would include multiple measures and initiatives, several of which are being carried out at present, and many would need time to be made a regular part of processes. Reducing the amount of e-waste produced could help make the electronics industry more sustainable. Designing products that may be disassembled easily at the end of their useful lives is a fundamental step that could significantly reduce e-waste generation. This would involve using standardized parts, decreasing the use of hazardous materials, and designing products for repairability and upgradability.
The Ministry of Consumer Affairs (MCA), India is working towards a Right to Repair framework to offer consumers a chance to repair their products at an optimal cost instead of buying new products altogether. Important sectors would include mobile phones and tablets, along with farming equipment, consumer durables, automobiles and automobile equipment.
Under the framework, manufacturers would be required to share their product details with customers so that they could get the gadgets repaired by themselves or by third parties; this would reduce dependence on original manufacturers, and I think is a good step towards sustainability.
Further, extended producer responsibility (EPR) is a concept that needs to be strengthened, but as we discussed earlier, it would take time to establish effective and efficient courses of action across dimensions on the basis of continual feedback and interaction between stakeholders before we get there, especially in countries like India. However, several elements of EPR, such as setting up e-waste recycling programs and incentivising consumers to return their products for recycling are already in existence.
Increasing sustainable sourcing of materials, including using recycled materials and cutting down the use of materials that are damaging to the environment is another important measure that could be emphasized.
Other possibilities would include designing more energy efficient products to reduce the environmental impact of the production process and the use of electronic gadgets, and extending product life extension measures by offering repair services, software updates, and other services that extend the life of electronic products.
- How can we ensure that e-waste management practices are equitable and don’t disproportionately affect marginalized communities?
I would say community engagement is very important. Engaging with local communities, particularly marginalized ones, to better understand their needs and concerns is essential. In the e-waste management context, I think continual and extensive talks with the informal sector are crucial to bring them under a formal ambit. Community meetings, surveys, and other outreach activities may be used to engage communities and stakeholders.
As far as possible, providing communities and stakeholders equal access to e-waste management services is important. This would include providing collection points and recycling facilities in all neighbourhoods, and offering education on health and safety regardless of their socio-economic status. Encouraging collaboration between governments, private companies, and non-governmental organizations can create more comprehensive and effective e-waste recycling programs that could result in more recycling options and education for the public.
Generating employment opportunities in the e-waste management sector for people from marginalized and informal communities could go a long way in promoting equity. This can be achieved through training and education programs that provide proper job skills for e-waste management.
Enforcing fair and equitable policies and regulations is important. Policies could include subjects such as illegal dumping and incentivizing proper e-waste disposal and recycling.
- What are some effective metrics for measuring the efficiency and effectiveness of e-waste management processes, and how can they be used to identify areas for improvement?
E-waste collection rates indicating the percentage of e-waste collected and properly disposed of through an e-waste management program could be used to assess the effectiveness of collection programs and identify areas for improvement.
Similarly, recycling rates assessing the proportion of recycled e-waste could be another useful metric. Recycling rates indicate the amount of e-waste recycled that could otherwise have ended up in a landfill or an incinerator. The metric could be employed to assess the efficiency of e-waste recycling processes and identify opportunities for improvement.
Recovery rates measuring the percentage of valuable materials recovered from e-waste during the recycling process could also be used.
Cost per unit assessment indicating the cost of collecting and recycling one unit of e-waste could be employed to examine the efficiency of e-waste management programs and identify areas for cost savings.
Measuring the environmental impact to determine the environmental benefits of e-waste recycling, such as reduced greenhouse gas emissions and conservation of natural resources could be another metric to evaluate the effectiveness of e-waste management programs and identify opportunities for improvement.
