About MeitY

Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY) follows multi-pronged strategy of e-Infrastructure creation to facilitate and promote e-governance, promotion of Electronics & Information Technology- Information Technology Enabled Services (IT-ITeS) Industry, providing support for creation of Innovation / Research & Development (R&D), building Knowledge network and securing India’s cyber space. The Allocation of Business Rules Pertaining to Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology Policy matters relating to information technology; Electronics; and Internet (all matters other than licensing of Internet Service Provider).

• Promotion of internet, IT and IT enabled services.
• Assistance to other departments in the promotion of E–Governance, E–Commerce, E–Medicine, E–Infrastructure, etc.
• Promotion of Information Technology education and InformationTechnology–based education.

About the Program

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has initiated the project “Awareness Programme on Environmental Hazards of Electronic waste” on March 31, 2015. This project is under the ‘Digital India’ initiative of the Government of India. The project is expected to have far reaching and significant impact on the growth of the country as it focuses on reuse and recycling of e-waste, which has the potential to conserve natural resources. The project has three components viz., Content Development, Inventory Assessment and Awareness Generation amongst different stakeholders. The project will help in effective implementation of E-waste Management, 2016.

Objective

The primary focus of the project is to create awareness among different stakeholders in order to reduce the adverse impact on environment and health due to improper disposal of e-waste. MietY has played a key role in dissemination of knowledge on e-waste rules in the past and wishes to engage all key stakeholders during this exercise.

Scope

During the project duration of 5 years, a city in each of the 10 identified states viz. Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Orissa, Goa, Bihar, Pondicherry, West Bengal, Assam and Manipur will be covered. The activities will include organising awareness workshops for RWAs/Localities, Schools, Colleges, Bulk Consumers (including corporate & Govt. sectors), Informal Sector, Dealers, Refurbishers, Manufacturers, etc. so as to build capacities of the target groups to channelize e-waste in a manner that the rules are effectively implemented. Suitable course curriculum would also be framed for schools/colleges. Effort would be made to prepare the content in local language. This project will also stress on adopting best practices for e-waste recycling available globally, so that the unorganised sector can generate jobs as well as viable business prospects thereby mitigating the impact of improper recycling on the environment. The project will also emphasize on the responsibilities of the producers and covey the message that they must inculcate the principle of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) and follow the mechanism for channelisation of e-waste from ‘end of life’ products to registered dismantlers or recyclers.

Expected Outcomes

• The said project is under Digital India campaign, and it will impact the overall growth of the country as it Conserves natural resources.
• Recycling recovers valuable materials from old electronics that can be used to make new products. As a result, we save energy, reduce pollution, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and save resources by extracting fewer raw materials from the earth.
• Recycling will create jobs for professional recyclers and refurbishers and creates new markets for the valuable components that are dismantled.
• The project will also take care of the responsibilities of the producers that they must inculcate the Principle of EPR and follow the mechanism for channelization of e-waste to registered dismantler or recyclers.
• The programme will make sure that the responsibilities of other stakeholders are also met for effective implementation of the e-waste management rules, 2016.
• The programme will also work upon the awareness on Reduction in the use of hazardous materials in the manufacture of electrical and electronic equipment and their components.

An Initiative of

Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY)

Electronics Niketan, 6, CGO Complex, Lodhi Road,
New Delhi: 110003
Phone No. : 011. 24301851
Fax: +91-11-24364799
E-mail: ewaste[at]meity[dot]gov[dot]in

Awareness Partners