Retrieving the basel convention and the Indian E-waste Rules in the light of disposal and management of E-waste

Abstract

The past century has witnessed mankind indulging in such acts that changed its very own perception of the world around it. The two defining wars the race to destroy its very own subsistence, realization of its folly and the halfhearted measures through timid structures to mend something without clarity, introduced humans to a new world. This new world was its own making, but it dictated terms to its own creator. It encouraged mechanization and cultivated for its author, an insatiable appetite for electrical and electronic equipment (EEE). An appetite so colossal, that it challenged to devour the very environment that sustained its own creator. Today the test is so substantial that it stands knocking at the door of every nation on the face of the earth. The Report by the Global E-waste Monitor 2020 meticulously examines every facet and sincerely demonstrates the gravity of the crisis. The said Report rather unflatteringly designates India the third position just behind the USA and China in generating e-waste in appalling quantities. This evil has stretched its reach in such an assertive posture, that today while it finds its mention in every important policy papers of all developed and developing nations, it also finds its way into every basement and trash bins lining those very same nations. India faces a two-fold dilemma in this arena, for the complexity intensifies because of the imports of e-waste from developed nations while India grapples with the concerns of its disposal within its national territory. The inadequate techniques are not only inept but pose serious environmental and health hazards. This article makes a modest endeavour to delve into this territory, exploring the national and international legal framework, its bearing on the Human health and ecosystem. Further the article makes an attempt to measure the footprint of this rapidly expanding menace with a reference to the initiatives launched to combat it. The article aims at illuminating various components of this dilemma particularly studying it from an Indian perspective.