A study has exposed shocking laxity in the e-waste management by the authorised dealers of mobile phone companies in Dehradun. It found that a number of authorised mobile dealers in the city are openly flouting the ruled mentioned in E-waste Management Rules 2016 notified by the Government of India (GoI).

The study undertaken by the Dehradun based environmental action and advocacy group, Gati Foundation focused on three issues of e-waste management practices at the authorised mobile dealers, citizens' awareness on e-waste management and informal sector of e-waste recycling in the city. 

During the study 14 authorised mobile centers of one of the largest mobile companies in India and conducted online interviews with more than 130 people and interacted with city-based informal recyclers.

The founder of Gati Foundation, Anoop Nautiyal said that 94 per cent of the mobile dealers do not have a separate dustbin for e-waste disposal as mentioned under the act.

Similarly 88 percent of the mobile dealers are not aware of the E-waste (Management) Rules 2016, which governs the entire domain of e-waste management in the country.

 Nautiyal added that 63 percent of the mobile dealers were not even aware of the term 'e-waste'. The law makes it mandatory for mobile dealers and brand owners to roll out buyback schemes or deposit refund scheme in order to manage the e-waste. The study found that not even a single mobile dealer was aware of the buyback scheme and refund scheme.

Most of the mobile dealers were found to be disposing of their e-waste by selling it to a local dealers of scrap which is a clear violation of norm according to  the e waste should be handed over only to authorised and registered dismantlers or recyclers. "E-waste rules pose a strict liability on brand owners, dealers and recyclers engaged in e-waste management.

The mobile dealers are found to be openly flouting the rules which poses a grave danger to the environment as the informal ecosystem has the potential of causing serious pollution to soil, water and air,’’ said Nautiyal. The study also found that 90 percent of the citizens are not aware of any registered e-waste recycler in the city.

It highlighted that mobile phones and related accessories remain the most preferred choice for e-waste generation and throwing e-waste in the dustbin remains the most preferred choice of disposing of e-waste.