Extended producer responsibility in a non-OECD context: The management of waste electrical and electronic equipment in India

Abstract:
Waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) has caused concern from many sectors of society due to its growing quantity and potential toxicity. The situation is particularly worrisome in some non-OECD countries, such as India and China, where acute health and environmental hazards have resulted from a combination of a lack of proper WEEE management systems and the domination of a large backyard recycling sector. This study explores the feasibility of dealing with such problems in a non-OECD context by applying extended producer responsibility (EPR), an environmental policy principle that has been applied to the management of WEEE in many OECD countries. Using India as a case study, this investigation identifies two main obstacles in the Indian context that can undermine the EPR mechanisms: large grey markets for some electronic products, and illegal imports of WEEE. Although an EPR programme might not be able to address the two problems on its own, there are measures that can curb the scale of these two illegal activities. More importantly, this analysis of the current situation in India suggests that a timely national programme based on the EPR principle can be a driving force for the formalisation of the downstream sector and strengthen the existing industrial initiatives such as voluntary take-back schemes.