NEW DELHI, India — Even as India heads for a looming e-waste crisis, most of the global electronic brands have no functioning e-waste takeback services in India. This is the case despite many of these brands providing a voluntary takeback service in other countries. However, the study released today, “TakeBack Blues: An Assessment of E-waste Takeback in India,” also reveals that some companies are already part of the possible solution for this problem: Even in the absence of legislation, Indian brands like HCL and WIPRO are offering pan-Indian voluntary takeback and recycling service to their customers.
India in 2007 generated 380,000 tonnes of e-waste from discarded Computers, Televisions and Mobile Phones
The study presents the position of each brand on IPR (Individual
Producer Responsibility), and its application on the ground through
the takeback services offered in India. The report is available at
www.greenpeace.org/india/press/reports/take-back-blues
"The findings from this study are absolutely shocking. It seems
like e-waste takeback in India is in no way a priority for global
brands; otherwise, how can one explain the irresponsible conduct of
brands like Sony, Sony Ericsson, Toshiba, Samsung and Philips,
which have no take-back service in India whatsoever?" questioned
Abhishek Pratap, Greenpeace Toxics campaigner and the principal
investigator for this study.
Greenpeace examined the policy-and-practice on e-waste takeback
offered by 20 e-brands in India. Incredibly, only one global brand
(Acer) and two India brands (HCL and Wipro) have functioning
takeback services in India. HCL and WIPRO are ahead of most of
their counterparts in implementing their takeback service on the
ground. On the other hand, big brands like Nokia, LG Electronics
and Motorola are still not able to make their takeback service in
India fully operational. Market leader HP, along with other PC
makers DELL and LENOVO, is involved in green-wash, as their
takeback service is completely non-existent on ground. With the
exception of two brands (Acer and HCL), no brand has come out
publicly on the issue of supporting e-waste legislation in
India.
Legislation embracing Producer Responsibility for e-waste is
already in force in the EU, Japan, Korea, Taiwan and some US
states. Greenpeace expects responsible companies to treat all their
customers globally in the same way, and offer takeback and
recycling services wherever their products are sold - not just in
countries where this is a legal requirement
A group of both global and Indian electronic brands active in
India has committed to work on developing legislation embracing the
principle of Producer Responsibility, so it is important to use the
existing experiences of companies providing or trying to provide
takeback and recycling services in India to ensure that any
legislation to address this issue is effective in the Indian
situation.
India in 2007 generated 1040 tonnes of e-waste every day from
discarded Computers, Televisions and Mobile Phones. This is
projected to grow to more than double by 2012, to 800,000 per annum
with a growth rate of 15 %. At present, merely 3% of the e-waste
reaches authorized recyclers while remaining lands in informal
recycling yard causing threat to environment and public health.
"Those brands which have no policy for takeback in India, must
immediately announce such service without any lapse. And those
brands whose take-back service is not working on the ground need to
tighten the noose" demanded Abhishek. "These measures need to be
backed by policy based on IPR that provides for the entire life
cycles of a product."
The study report focuses only on the policies and practices of
electronic brands on the Indian market and therefore its findings
are not applicable to other countries
For further information, contact
Ramapati Kumar, Greenpeace Toxics Campaigner +91 98455 35414
Abhishek Pratap, Greenpeace Toxics Campaigner +91 98456 10749
Saumya Tripathy, Greenpeace Communications +91 93438 62212