E-waste transported outside Assam without PCBA's knowledge: CAG

By our Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI, August 6: During fiscal 2013-14 20046 MT of e-waste was collected by five producers/bulk consumers and transported to other States Without the knowledge of the Pollution Control Board, Assam (PCBA). E-waste contains toxic substances which, if discarded in the open, can cause severe hazard on environment and human health.

‘E-waste’ means waste relating to electrical and electronic equipment, whole or parts or rejects from their manufacturing and repair process which are intended to be discarded. E-waste contains toxic substances such as cadmium, lead, mercury, etc., which, if discarded in the open, can cause health and environment hazards.

The Comptroller and Auditor General’s (CAG’s) of India report on performance audit on environmental degradation in the greater Guwahati area with special emphasis on the role of the PCBA submitted to the State Government recently caught the PCBA on the wrong foot in this regard.

According to the e-waste (Magement & Handling) Rules, 2011, the PCBA has the duty to prepare inventorization of e-waste. However, according to the CAG report, after a lapse of more than three years from the ectment of Rules, the PCBA had not prepared the inventorization of manufacturers, collection centres, bulk consumers, dismantlers, recyclers or of the quantity of e-waste generated or handled.

According to the CAG report, there were only four authorized e-waste collection centres in the State as of March 2015. “Out of the four centres, one centre had collected only 1.5 MT e-waste during the 2012-13 but the PCBA had no record regarding details of their disposal,” the report said, and added: “On being pointed out, the PCBA said in August 2015 that preparation of a comprehensive inventory in Assam was in progress.”

The Rules also stipulate that in case of transportation of e-waste for dismantling or recycling in a state other than the state where the waste is generated or collected, the transporters shall give prior intimation to the PCBA and of the State of transit. According to the report, it is, however, observed in audit that during the 2013-14 20.046 MT of e-waste were collected by five producers/bulk consumers and transported to other States for dismantling/recycling. “The transporters did not give prior intimation to the PCBA in this regard,” the report said, and added: “On being pointed out, the PCBA said in August 2015 that it was communicating with the identified recyclers/producers and directing them to intimate the PCBA in case of further transportation of e-waste generated in the State to recyclers located in other States.”       

In April 2016 also, the PCBA said that it had issued notices to e-waste dismantling/recycling facilities to give prior information to the board regarding transportation of e-waste outside the State.

The CAG recommends that

*    The PCBA should maintain updated information on all hazardous waste generating industries, recyclers etc., and details of disposal of such waste.

*     In order to ensure disposal of hazardous waste, the PCBA should insist on installation of common treatment, storage and disposal facility.