Waste Management – SWM Rules, EWM Rules, etc

GEDA invites tenders for Solar Waste recycling to tackle growing e-waste in Gujarat

Explained | Enviro & Biodiversity | Mains Paper 3: Conservation, Environmental Pollution & Degradation, Eia

Why in the News?

As India nears 500 GW renewable capacity by 2030, solar waste will surge. Gujarat’s GEDA launches a recycling framework to set standards, promoting sustainable waste management alongside solar growth.

What is Gujarat aiming to achieve with this solar waste recycling initiative?

  • Standardised Protocols: GEDA aims to formulate robust, eco-friendly, and enforceable protocols for handling solar and electronic waste.
  • Research-Driven Framework: The tender invites organisations to conduct feasibility studies and material recovery experiments, focusing on valuable materials like silicon, silver, copper, aluminum, and rare metals.
  • Focus on PV Technologies: The initiative spans across multiple technologies—crystalline silicon, CdTe, CIGS, and TOPCon cells—each requiring specialised recycling approaches.
  • Dismantling and Worker Safety: It includes drafting of guidelines for safe dismantling, regulatory compliance, and worker safety.

Why is Gujarat suitable for this initiative?

  • Solar Manufacturing Hub: Gujarat has the highest number of solar module manufacturers in India, creating a large volume of solar waste needing recycling. Eg: Numerous solar factories in Gujarat produce panels, which eventually generate recyclable waste.
  • Large-scale Solar Projects: The state hosts many big solar power plants, leading to significant quantities of end-of-life solar panels. Eg: Gujarat’s extensive solar farms produce damaged or old panels that require eco-friendly disposal methods.
  • Government Support: Gujarat’s proactive policies and agency initiatives foster effective recycling infrastructure and standards. Eg: GEDA’s tender for solar waste recycling research demonstrates the state’s commitment to clean energy sustainability.

How serious is the solar waste crisis in India?

  • Rapid Growth of Waste: From 100 kilotons in FY2023, India’s solar waste is projected to grow to 340 kilotons by 2030, according to CEEW’s 2024 report.
  • Long-Term Projection: The volume is expected to increase 32-fold between 2030 and 2050.
  • Panel Lifespan Ending: Panels installed during India’s solar boom (2010–2020) are now nearing the end of their 20–25 year lifespan.
  • Infrastructure Deficit: India currently lacks a national solar waste policy, making Gujarat’s move even more critical.

What are the challenges for India in recycling of E-waste?

  • Informal Sector Dominance: A large portion of e-waste recycling is handled by informal workers using unsafe methods, leading to health risks and environmental damage. Eg: Informal dismantling often involves burning or acid baths to extract metals, releasing toxic fumes.
  • Lack of Infrastructure: Insufficient formal recycling facilities and technology gaps limit efficient and eco-friendly processing of complex e-waste. Eg: Many regions lack certified recycling plants capable of handling advanced electronics like smartphones and solar panels.
  • Weak Enforcement and Awareness: Poor enforcement of regulations and low public awareness hinder proper e-waste collection and disposal. Eg: Consumers often discard e-waste with regular trash due to lack of knowledge or convenient drop-off options.

What are the steps taken by the Indian government? 

  • Implementation of E-Waste Management Rules: The government has enacted regulations like the E-Waste (Management) Rules to ensure proper collection, recycling, and disposal of electronic waste. Eg: Mandatory Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) requires manufacturers to take back and recycle e-waste from consumers.
  • Promoting Formal Recycling Infrastructure: Encouraging the development of certified recycling units with environmentally sound processes to handle e-waste safely. Eg: Setting up authorized e-waste recycling centers that use safe dismantling and recovery techniques.
  • Awareness and Capacity Building: Conducting campaigns and training programs to educate stakeholders, including consumers and informal sector workers, about e-waste hazards and management practices. Eg: Government and NGOs organizing workshops for informal recyclers to transition into formal, safer e-waste handling roles.

Way forward: 

  • Strengthen Policy Enforcement and Infrastructure: Ensure strict implementation of e-waste and solar waste management regulations while investing in advanced, formal recycling infrastructure to enable safe, efficient, and large-scale recovery of valuable materials.
  • Promote Stakeholder Collaboration and Awareness: Enhance coordination between government agencies, industry, and informal workers through capacity building, incentives, and public awareness campaigns to foster sustainable recycling practices and support circular economy goals.

Mains PYQ:

[UPSC 2013] What are the legal provisions for management and handling of hazardous wastes in India? What are the strategies to pollution control?

Linkage: The GEDA initiative addresses the recycling of both solar waste and electronic waste (e-waste). E-waste often contains hazardous materials, requiring specialized processing. This question directly probes the legal and strategic framework for managing hazardous waste and controlling pollution, which is highly relevant to the challenges posed by growing e-waste and the need for a robust, eco-friendly recycling framework as envisioned by GEDA.

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