A survey conducted by an NGO in Tamil Nadu has highlighted the need for an e-waste policy. Last year the State generated nearly 22,000 tons of e-waste.
The work done in Tamil Nadu is expected to lead to an assessment at national level that will encompass all cities and sectors. Such a study would need to cover inventories, current technical measures and policy. The study would also need to identify potentially hazardous materials to be tested to ascertain how harmful they could be to health and the environment. Any emergent national e-waste policy and action plan would need to set out precautionary measures to be implemented.
A national e-waste policy could create a forum to enable regulatory agencies, NGOs, industry representatives, etc to participate in e-waste decision-making. A wealth of information could be collected to inform policy implementation. A knowledge database could assist in determining the end of useful product life, risk identification, safe handling and disposal of e-waste. The Government could promote this knowledge to schools, colleges and industry. A database could also be created to capture global e-waste best practice and failure analyses to inform the creation and implementation of e-waste best practice throughout the country.