Month: January 2015

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6 Responsibilities of Electronic Brands you should know

Cheap mobiles and electronic devices have caught the fancy of us all. Coming in various sizes and shapes these offer unbelievable features at most astonishing prices. Though very attractive yet some of them remain unguaranteed not only in their materials being used and also in safety features. Until now Indian markets were dumped with goods which could have played with our lives and environment.

“Update: ZeroWaste is now InstaCash”

As a growing nation we need to guard against electronic and electrical items getting into our lives and becoming hazardous to our very existence. The only way to do it is to be aware of the roles and responsibilities of Electronic and Electrical producers and remove any deleterious products getting entry into the markets.

To safe guard the environment and ensure proper disposal of E-Waste, Government has brought in the concept of “Extended Producers Responsibility” under “E-Wastes Rules 2011”. All producers of Electronic and Electrical Equipment in India who manufacture and sell are made responsible for their products beyond manufacturing to ensure environmentally sound management of their end of life products.

Let us understand who are Electronics and Electronic Equipment Producers and their responsibilities.

The rules define an EEE Producer as any person who, irrespective of the selling technique used, undertakes the following actions

  • manufactures and offers to sell electrical and electronic equipment under his own brand; or
  • offers to sell under his own brand, assembled electrical and electronic equipment produced by other manufacturers or suppliers; or
  • offers to sell imported electrical and electronic equipment;

Responsibilities of Producers

  1. Collection of e-waste generated from the ‘end of life’ of their products in line with the principle of ‘Extended Producer Responsibility’ (EPR), or generated during manufacturing of electrical and electronic equipment and channelization of such waste to registered dismantler or recyclers.
  2. Setting up collection centers or take back systems either individually or collectively
  3. Financing and organizing a system to meet the costs involved in the environmentally sound management of e-waste generated from the ‘end of life’ of its own products and historical waste available on the date from which these rules come in to force. The financing arrangement of such a system shall be transparent.
  4. The producer may choose to establish such financial system either individually or collectively by joining a collective scheme.
  5. to facilitate return of used electrical and electronic equipment by providing contact details such as address, telephone numbers/helpline number of authorized collection centers to consumer(s) or bulk consumer(s)
  6. creating awareness through publications, advertisements, posters, or by any other means of communication and information booklets accompanying the equipment, with regard to:
  • information on hazardous constituents as detailed in sub-rule 1 of rule 13 in EEE
  • information on hazards of improper handling, accidental breakage, damage and/or improper recycling of e-waste
  • instructions for handling the equipment after its use, along with the Do’s and Don’ts
  • affixing a visible, legible and indelible symbol on the products or information booklets to prevent e-waste from being dropped in garbage bins

Next time you buy an electronic item be sure you buy from a complying producer who respects the environment, law and your health. Let’s be a little #Responsible ourselves.

To know more Connect with us today at info@getinstacash.in |www.getinstacash.in

Note: This post was originally published in January 2015 and has been completely revamped and updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

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3 things that make us E-waste culprits

Inadvertently and with no firm understanding on the e-waste most of us tend to be unmindful of the evils of e-waste. E-waste as a problem is growing every day and if not checked today it would face us starkly with its harmful ill effects to our health and environment. 15 million metric tonnes of e-waste is generated every year in a developing country like India. Sensing the burgeoning numbers that would be added in the future all countries including India have put various legislations to contain if not mitigate the damaging effects E-waste would cause. Containing poisonous substances e-waste disposal warrant careful handling. Since we all use electronics and electrical appliances we need to be also responsible in their handling when they aren’t useful to us anymore.

“Update: ZeroWaste is now InstaCash”

We all are accountable and have to be responsible towards our future. Pretty laid back in our approach we run the risk of becoming E-waste culprits ourselves ruining our today and tomorrow. There are 3 ways that make us E-waste Culprits:

  1. 1. Being an E-Waste Sleeper
  2. 2. Discarding / dumping e-waste at wrong places
  3. 3. Selling e–waste to kabadiwala

We have to understand that these equipment have a life and if these are not making any utility sense then it would be our duty not to let the e-waste accumulate at our places. In their productive life these are friends but at the end they are nasty foes so care has to be shown in their disposal. In no circumstances these should be thrown as garbage in and around our areas of inhabitation or elsewhere. It is also very wrong to sell these articles to the usual kabadiwalas or scrap dealers. They lack the understanding and scientific methods to handle toxic elements inherent to these wastes.

Fortunately we have ZeroWaste a company which is all geared and constituted for the great mission to clear up all the E-wastes which lie in our closets and cabinets. It also offers money for the gadgets you give to it. The amount received would be as per the best salvage value and moreover relieves us from the piles of waste littering our closet, tables and racks responsibly.

Note: This post was originally published in January 2015 and has been completely revamped and updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

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Lets Include Electronic Waste in Swachh Bharat Abhiyan

“Be the change you wish to see in the world” — Mahatma Gandhi

“Update: ZeroWaste is now InstaCash”

“It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change.” — Charles Darwin

First of all I thank our Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, for starting Swachh Bharat Abhiyan and calling the people to participate in creating a clean India beyond politics.

India is aiming towards becoming an economic superpower and in such circumstances cleanliness becomes more logical. A clean home is more hospitable to its visitors and subsequently brings greater investment to Indian economy. Cleanliness directly promotes social growth and economic activity.

The Prime Minister’s call for Digital India has created great enthusiasm among people of India as well as abroad. Digital infrastructure, delivery of services and digital literacy are the aims of Digital India and electronic inclusion of people will strengthen Indian democracy with highly accountable and transparent government. It is evident that this electronic inclusion will gear up the generation of electronic waste with computers, laptops, mobile phones and other telecommunication equipment as major source of E-Waste.

E-waste consists of waste electrical & electronic equipment that are to be discarded. India generates about 1.5 Million tonnes of E-waste each year. UN predicted that by 2020 e-waste from computers would jump by 500 percent and from discarded mobile phones would be 18 times higher than 2007 level in India. Electronic waste itself does not cause direct damage to us but unscientific processing of this scrap is detrimental to human health and wellbeing.

WHO in its E-Waste and Child Health Initiative report has warned about these consequences of e-waste. National Green Tribunal has also expressed similar concern about e-waste causing broad spectrum of ecological damage. Therefore, its about time that e-waste be managed through environmentally sound processes causing least harm to human health and environment and checking its diversion to landfills or incineration plants.

Indian government has recognised the problem of e-waste and has made E- waste (Management & handling), Rules, 2011 but due to lack of proper awareness among the private and government bodies the problem is being ignored. The Swachh Bharat Abhiyan puts focus on awareness and aims to ensure 100% collection and scientific processing/disposal reuse/recycle of Municipal Solid Waste. Therefore, its only logical that Electronic Waste is included in this campaign. This will generate awareness among citizens and will ensure proper management of e-waste.

I started this petition because I want the e-waste problem to be included in Swachh Bharat Abhiyan to minimize damage to human health and environment.

Please join us in calling our Prime Minister to include the E-Waste in Swachh Bharat Abhiyan for a responsible Electronic Democracy and YES!!!! for a better tomorrow.

Note: This post was originally published in January 2015 and has been completely revamped and updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

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GREENOMICS

If we count the cost of Fresh air, Clean water and Green forests, Going green is the most profitable thing mankind can ever do.

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Why you should not sell Electronic Waste as the usual RADDI (waste).

We all have Raddi or the waste paper and items in our house which we collect and dispose it off to the raddiwala or the kabadiwala who knocks our door every Sunday without fail. Haggling over the price every time, our egos feel good to have garnered the best bargain. The raddiwala makes a living selling it to the scrap dealers who in turn send the paper, cardboard and metal for recycling and reuse.

“Update: ZeroWaste is now InstaCash”

However there is a caveat. If your raddi or waste isn’t the usual paper, card board, plastic or metal then you should be a little careful. Waste Electronic and Electrical Equipement such as your discarded mobiles, computer peripherals, terminals and monitors, your old television set, remote controls, florescent tubes, air-conditioner, geysers and refrigerators amongst others need special handling in terms of collection, disposal and to recycle and reuse it.

WEEE or E-Waste as it is technically known has to be processed scientifically which the usual scarp dealers are ill equipped to do so. With their crude and unscientific methods not only they put themselves and their workers at great peril but also throw it at places making our earth and environment polluted. The untrained and unorganized scrap dealers or the kabadiwalas resort to burning the circuit board, acid stripping, cable burning in open, CRT cracking & dumping. These waste electronic and electrical equipment contain toxic and carcinogenic elements with immense potential to get back to us through water and air. E-Wastes contain Lead, Mercury, Cadmium and flame retardants that cause multiple toxic problems.

ZeroWaste as an authorized e-waste collector has meticulously put in place scientific process which collects and sends to authorized e-waste handlers to be efficiently reused and recycled and even disposed off causing the least damage to our environment. It not only very responsibly manages the process but also offers the customers great prices for your equipment.

Zero Waste Process — The responsible way.

So next time you would like to sell the discarded electronic and electrical equipment sell it to ZeroWaste and be responsible and do your part in saving our precious environment and earth.

Note: This post was originally published in January 2015 and has been completely revamped and updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness.