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

Manomaivibool, Panate LU (2009) In Resources, Conservation & Recycling 53(3). p.136-144
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... (More)
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. (Less)
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author
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Recycling, Waste electrical and electronic equipment, Electronic waste, Extended producer responsibility, India
in
Resources, Conservation & Recycling
volume
53
issue
3
pages
136 - 144
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • wos:000263188300005
  • scopus:58149194613
ISSN
0921-3449
DOI
10.1016/j.resconrec.2008.10.003
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
1df1857b-1560-4a4b-9f28-770afcae8158 (old id 1259718)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 13:19:38
date last changed
2023-04-18 20:39:20
@article{1df1857b-1560-4a4b-9f28-770afcae8158,
  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.}},
  author       = {{Manomaivibool, Panate}},
  issn         = {{0921-3449}},
  keywords     = {{Recycling; Waste electrical and electronic equipment; Electronic waste; Extended producer responsibility; India}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{3}},
  pages        = {{136--144}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Resources, Conservation & Recycling}},
  title        = {{Extended producer responsibility in a non-OECD context: The management of waste electrical and electronic equipment in India}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2008.10.003}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.resconrec.2008.10.003}},
  volume       = {{53}},
  year         = {{2009}},
}