Greenpeace attacks draft legislation on E-waste

New Delhi, Nov 30 (UNI) Global environment group Greenpeace has launched a scathing attack on the draft Waste from Electronic and Electrical Equipment legislation, developed by Environment and Forests Ministry.

''The draft is woefully inadequate and retreats from the existing laws and principles on E-waste handling and management,'' a statement said here today.

Greenpeace had criticised WEEE at United Nation's Basel Convention meeting on Control of Trans-boundary Movement of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal (COP 8) in Nairobi, Kenya, saying it ignored the laws and principles already established in accordance with the Basel Convention.

It failed to hold producers accountable and put the entire burden on end users, it said.

It failed to deal with the larger problem of E-waste that began with the use of toxic substances during production processes, it added.

The draft legislation, if enacted in the present form, would open floodgates for E-waste dumping in India, it warned.

''It is shocking that while COP 8 is discussing the issue of E-waste as a priority issue, the draft WEEE legislation being circulated by the Indian government is not only toothless but completely lifts any responsibility on the part of producers of electronic goods,'' said Greenpeace India Toxics Campaigner Ramapati Kumar.

''Rather than laying out a red carpet for E-waste dumping in India, the government should demand clean production from electronics manufacturers and ensure they phase out toxic chemicals from the production process,'' he added.

The draft legislation is simply a license to turn India into a garbage dump for the developed world's E-waste, he said UNI IP SSC VC1450