Electric and Electronic Waste (e-waste) management - Customs - PUBLIC NOTICE NO. 04/2020

OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONER OF CUSTOMS (Punjab, Himachal Pradesh Chandigarh) CUSTOM HOUSE, G.T.ROAD, SAFNEWAL, LUDHIANA- 141120 C. No. VIII-48(2)Tech/Ldh/PN/HQRS/2020/Pt./5750-73 Dated: 14.02.2020 PUBLIC NOTICE NO. 04/2020 Sub: Electric and Electronic Waste (e-waste) management - reg. Attention of the importers. exporters, Customs Brokers and all other stakeholders is invited to the above mentioned subject. 2. Sound management of electrical and electronic waste (e-waste) in India is a major concern for the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. India is the fifth largest generator of e-waste in the world and approximately 90 percent of e-waste is being recycled by the informal sector which constitutes of kabadiwala, scavengers, aggregators. dealers and unauthorised recycling units. In informal sector, the waste is processed through crude and unscientific methods of material extraction such as manual breaking, dismantling end resource extraction through rudimentary methods of burning either over flame or using acids: all of which are not only detrimental to human health but also have serious environmental implications in terms of air, water and soil pollution. 3. In order to ensure environmentally sound management of e-waste in {he country, the ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has notified the E-waste (Management) Rules, 2016 under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 on 23 March 2016. The broad objective of the Rules are to channelize e-waste generated in the country towards authorized dismantlers and recyclers for the safe material recovery and disposal. The Rules designate responsibilities to various stakeholders including producers, manufacturers, collection centres, dismantlers, recyclers and bulk consumers. All dismantlers and recyclers must obtain authorization from the State Pollution Control Board/Committees (SPCBs/PCCs) in order to handle e-waste in their facilities. 4. It is to be noted that the Rules define bulk consumers as bulk users of electrical and electronic equipment such as the Central Government or State Governments. its departments, Public Sector Undertakings, banks, educational institutions, multinational organisations, international agencies, partnership and public or private companies that are registered under the Factories Act, 1948 (63 of 1948) and the Companies Act, 2013 (18 of 13) and the health care facilities which have turnover of more than one were or have more than twenty employees. 5. As per the definition, Customs House, Customs Commissionerate. Sahnewal nay be a bulk consumer and therefore, should fulfil the responsibilities of a bulk consumer as stated in rule (9) of the E-waste (Management) Rules, 2016. which are reproduced as follows: i. Consumers or bulk consumers of electrical and electronic equipment listed in Schedule I shall ensure that e-waste generated by them is channelized through collection centre or dealer of authorized producer or dismantler or recycler or through the designated take back service provider of the producer to authorised dismantler or recycler; ii. Bulk consumers of electrical and electronic equipment listed in Schedule I shall maintain records of e-waste generated by them in Form 2 and make such records available for scrutiny by the concerned State Pollution Control Board; iii. Consumers or bulk consumers of electrical and electronic equipment listed in Schedule I shall ensure that such end-of-life electrical and electronic equipment are not admixed with e- waste containing radioactive material as covered under the provisions of the Atomic Energy Act, 1962 (33 of 1962) and rules made there under; iv. Bulk consumers of electrical and electronic equipment listed in Schedule I shall file annual return in Form-3, to the concerned State Pollution Control Board on or before the 30th day of June following the financial year to which that return relates. In case of the bulk consumer with multiple offices in a State, one annual return combining information from all the offices shall be filed to the concerned State Pollution Control Board on or before the 30th day of June following the financial year to which that return relates 6. Action to be taken in terms of decisions taken in this Public Notice should be considered as standing order for the purpose of officers and staff. 7. In case of any difficulty, the specific issue may be brought to the notice of the Deputy Commissioner (Admin) (email address: [email protected], Phone No.: 0161-5194418). (A. S. Ranga) Commissioner