Electronic Waste Management – Issues and Challenges

Prof. Brajesh Kumar Dubey

Department of Civil Engineering
Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur

Lecture – 01
E – Waste Overview

Welcome to this first module of this course on electronic waste management. So, as I
explained in the introductory video we will be covering diverse topics within this course
it is a 4 week course, it is a smaller course than the other courses you might be taking
and you may have taken on N P T E L. So, it is a 4 week, but again as explained in the
intro video the format will remain the same there would be weekly quizzes, there those
who want to take an exam they can take an exam at the end as well. So, let us get started.

(Refer Slide Time: 00:54)

So, in this first video we will try to try to give you a this is the in the first week the plan
is to kind of give you an overview of the different components which will go into the
course and we will be looking at some of the basic definitions like; What is an E waste?
What do you what the categories of the E waste? What is E waste, categories of the e
waste? Why we need to manage or like why we need to manage or recycle electronic
waste? Then it since, I am this is we will try to focus a little bit on the Indian context
there are a lot of information out there you can find in fact several reports out there in the
literature, when you see look at electronic waste especially in a global context, not much
information is available in from the Indian context and as most of the students I assume
almost 100 percent of the students in this course will be from India.

So, we will try to find what we have tried to do what we have tried to do in this course
is? Try to collect some information regarding the e waste in India and try to present it to
you in a summary form, so that it becomes easier for you to understand what is going on
in India what are the situations in India. So, we will talk about M S W management rules,
E waste management rules which is we also came along with M S W management rules,
we will talk about the E waste generation in India and compare with the world scenario
how it in facts and figures, we will try to estimate that is one of the another thing.

If you have taken any waste course earlier or you know that to manage something first of
all we need to know how much is off it is out there. So, in terms of electronic waste as
well, so when we say E waste or electronic waste we need to know how much E waste is
being produced in the country, any country for that matter or if you are doing it for a
state or for a city we need to know how much electronic waste is produced say for is in;
Calcutta or in Delhi or in Bombay or overall in Indian scenario.

So, how we get those numbers? So what does, so will do a case study of a study done in
Kolkata, we did some study in for the focused on Kolkata in terms of how to estimate
amount of E waste that would be produced from Calcutta in a year. So, that once we have
that number we can do we can plan, so if you want to have a recycling plant how big the
recycling plant should be what kind of waste the recycling plant can expect, so for that
we need to know how much quantity?

So, there will be an estimation of we will talk about estimation of a waste electrical
equipment. Then like how much money is out there? In terms of rare earth metals and
precious metals you see precious metals or rare earth metals, how much money is
actually there in terms of the electronic waste? Then quantification whatever the health
impact; there is lot of informal recycling of E waste is happening, so how many in terms
of the health impact, what is typical health impact for electronic waste? Then like a; how
to do the extraction, we will talk about that then what is the present status of E waste
management in India and socially social impacts of recycling and all that. So, this is just
a kind of just to give you an idea of different topics will try to touch upon in this course
and this is the and there are some more topics out there as well.
But in the first week and probably part of the second week we will be looking at these
particular topics for now and then we will go into how to do the extraction of the rare
earth metal, what are the technologies out there? We will also talk about the life cycle
analysis part how to incorporate life cycle analysis in terms of the electronic waste
management and all that. So, in 4 week since that course is only focused on E waste we
will we will go much deeper on e waste management as opposed to if it was part of some
other course.

(Refer Slide Time: 04:36)

So, what is what is first of all; what is waste? if you have taken a course on waste
management we had a N P T E L course last semester as well on plugin integrated waste
management focused on a smart cities, but any waste management course if you have
taken in your college or be bachelors degree masters degree you know that waste
actually is something which no longer suited for it is intended use. So, when we say
waste; it is it is an outcome, excuse me so waste when we talk about the waste it is an
outcome of it is an outcome of product or substance that is no longer suited for it is
intended use.

So, we do not want that anymore. So, it is an outcome of a product or a substance that no
longer suited for it is intended use. So, once you are start once you are thinking of
discarding the waste, if you are thinking of you had a product for example; if it will think
about electronic waste you had an old mobile phone think about that Nokia 15200 rupees
phone which was pretty good actually I still have one. So, you charge it once and then
you do not have to charge it for almost 4 or 5 days, but say I had you got tired of that
those kind of phone and at 1.1.

Fine day you have decided to get rid of that, until you decided to get rid of that it is not a
waste the day the moment you decide that I do not want it anymore you threw it in the
trash can or you gave it to some person you basically you discarded it you may have
given it to a Kabaddi wala or old you waste refurbishes. So, as soon as it lifts your
position you have discarded that it becomes an electronic waste, so that is; so it is a
product or a substance that is no longer suited for it is intended use, so whatever what is
intended use it is no longer suited, so you are just you for you it does not have any more
value left, so that becomes an waste.

So, when we talk about waste, it could be a hazardous waste, it could be a nonhazardous
waste, depending on the constituents which is there in electronics, if you just go by the
presence of those heavy metals and other stuff and if you do this T C L P test which is
done to find out whether a waste is a hazardous waste or not, E waste does fail T C L P
for lead for most part and we will talk about that in this course as well I will give you an
example of the different test that is being done, so E waste does failed to T C L P test.
Now for the sake of promoting recycling of electronic waste, many countries including
in India we have decided not to put electronic waste in the category of hazardous waste,
because when you put something in a category of hazardous waste it has to it becomes
very stringent rules and regulation.

So, if you want to promote E waste recycling, we want that industry to be a bit relaxed
like not as they had does not have to go through all that the stringent regulation of
hazardous waste management, so they have been put under a category basically
exempted from the definition of hazardous waste, so it is to promote the recycling of
different components which is present in electronic waste, but part of it could be
hazardous and of course, any waste it could be hazardous it could be nonhazardous. And
why we had? Would say if in the big picture when we talk about waste management or in
particular on electronic waste management, the reason we are worried about that is
because of the impact on human health in the environment.
Ultimately say recently if you had followed news just in just like a few like a couple of
months ago where and that problem kind of persists over the winter period in many
winters we see that, where in you will have issues of the smoke and fog getting together
making a smog and if you remember in Delhi we had that even odd scheme, some people
may have liked it some people may not, but that is a different matter but why we had to
go for that a scheme is because of the air pollution issues, because of again this year as
well like this part this winter as well we had that even in the month of November we
started having the issues of this like a smoke ah.

If you remember just few months back in the month of November when we were in
November 2017; the government in Delhi was saying that it is a public health
emergency. So, why would say again do it is all since it is an impact on human health it
is impact on environment when we say impact on environment it is impact on water, soil,
air, land, so that is why that is that also relates to our human health or they help to us or
help to plants, help to the vegetables and fruits that we will eat.

So, that is the reason why we are worried about it we do not want the earth to be polluted
and the electronic waste has several heavy metals present in them which is a cause of
concern. So, that is the reason why this course is? Why there if you as again in every
course in every lecture that I take in the first few lectures I keep on stressing on to the
students you should always try to understand why we are and why there is a course?
Why we should even a study electronic waste management? So, once you have that clear
then you will have developed a curiosity to learn more, you will be interested in this
particular course otherwise do not take any course just for the sake of taking the course,
if you are taking a course try to understand try to learn something.

So, the reason we are interested in electronic waste is because, electronic waste
management if done in a improper way may lead to several contamination; in terms of
air pollution, in terms of water pollution, in terms of soil pollution and all these is going
to affect us which is the human health and also the environment, when we say
environment it is all the floor of you now biodiversity and all that that we talk about. So,
that is an then big picture global warming climate change and all those things, but we
will we will not go to this right now maybe in the fourth will talk about when we talk
about this life cycle analysis and all that.
So, if we do not handle it properly it has a threat to human health and environment that is
what I was trying to explain. And there are several waste categories we have industrial
wastes, we have biomedical waste, we have wastes from so we have industrial,
biomedical, electronic and electrical equipments they are the example of the categories
which could be harmful and then there is say there are national laws.

So we have the electronic waste law as well may we have the E waste law which we
need to follow. So, electronic waste law is there which we will be talking about in the
class we had a E waste rule earlier and in which was revised recently last year in 20 say 2
years ago at 2016, a 1 and half year ago 2016 it was revised so we will talk about both to
the previous law as well as what was the new things which was added to the revision we
will talk about that in this particular course.

(Refer Slide Time: 11:43)

So, what is so be is kind of I gave you some idea of what is electronic waste for now, let
us look at what the different literature defines electronic waste. So, we will look at what
is the definition from the European Union? What is the definition from some of the other
researchers who have been working in this field? So, let us look at what are the definition
and we will look at some of the examples in next few slides will talk about definition and
example.

So, when you look at these slides do not worry too much about having the reason, see
there was I was thinking about when we were preparing these slides should I include all
the details here or just I put some bullet points and leave it at there and just talk about it,
the reason I decided to put a more detail over here as you can see on this particular slide
is unfortunately there is not many books out there on electronic waste and I want you to
get some information on electronic waste, so I put some more text here I am not going to
read this text in the in this lecture video, I want you to read it so we will make these
slides available to you, so that you can go over these slides as a reading material as well.

So, since I will provide you some additional reading material too, but these slides will be
provided to you as a reading material, so but if you think about what is electronic waste?
It is essentially coming from the electronic devices, it could be large household
appliances such as; refrigerators, air conditioner, cell phones, personally studios,
consumer, electronics, computers which have been discarded by their user, so it is a
broad category, if you think about the European union anything which is a circuit is an
electronic waste, anything which has a electrical circuits is a electronic waste.

So they include; refrigerators, dishwashers, washing machines, everything is there, if you

go to you north America in the U S definition U S in Canada definition electronic waste
does not include these white goods, what are white goods? White goods are your
refrigerators, the fridge that we call it or the fridge or refrigerator or dishwasher and all
those like a microwaves and other stuff they are called white goods. Why they are called
white goods again? For everything ask the why question one thing I really I would write
like to stress again and again you will probably hear me saying that many times over
these 4 weeks is that always ask questions, do not get do not just take things the that way
they are somebody has said that part is it has to be like that and that is true for anything
in your life always ask questions.

For example why? Say I said this North America calls it white goods. How? Why white
goods? What is because if you remember; refrigerators, dishwashers, microwaves your
washing machines when they came to the market for the first time all of them were white
in color, so that is the reason they are called white goods it is, so simple is not a kind of
thing it is a trivial, but it many times we just say maybe they say that there may be some
reason but we should know that too is it always better to know, as a child always we have
lots of curiosity when a small child will ask you have if you have a small child at your
home or your like a nephew niece or in a neighborhood you see that he or she will ask
you lots and lots of questions.
Unfortunately our schooling system is such a way that by the time we go to the primary
school and secondary school we stop asking questions, especially in the u g
undergraduate students do not ask any questions because they are so much pressurized
they think that if I ask questions and if it is a dumb question what impression I will have?
especially if it is a coed school people are worried about what that somebody else will
think about me they will think that I am a dumb forget about that, if you want to learn
something ask question, even asking dumb question is not bad, just ask questions so that
you can learn. So, when I am saying ask questions here since it is a video lecture it is an
online course for you to ask question go to the discussion forum, so we will have it as we
have discussion forum as I explained to you in the intro video as well go to the
discussion forum ask questions.

So, I promise you that discussion forum questions will be answered within 24 hours, we
will try our best to answer you in 24 hours, maybe someday we may be a little bit late
here and there depending on if a lot of other things are going on, but in general we will
get back to you within 24 hours if you had a question on the discussion forum, it could
do not worry if it is a dumb question ask the question and you may be thinking it is a
dumb question, but it may not be it may be very good question. So, go ahead and ask
question that that will help you to learn and that is why we have a T A helping with this
course as well to help with the logistics of taking care of discussion board and other
things. So, go ahead and you do not worry about asking too many questions that is we
will be happy if you ask many questions.

So, coming back here, so it is defined as even though any waste equipment, which is
dependent on the electric current or electromagnetic field to work properly and for the
voltage rating not exceeding 1000 volts, if it becomes more than 1000 volts it becomes a
heavy duty machine, so we do not usually we do not manage it in a regular electronic
waste that becomes like an a special item. So, 1000 volts for the A C current and 1500
volts for D C and that is the from terms in 2011 which is a review paper very nice review
paper it is in the air and waste management association journal, which this review paper
you can find it over there so this is how and this kind of follows more of a European
union definition here, so anything which has electrical current or electromagnetic field to
work with is an E waste.
Now, there was an another definition which came out as well, which says in Robinson in
2009 defined E waste as any device connected to a power source that no longer satisfy
the current owner for which it was created. So, again kind of combination of the first
bullet and the second bullet here, where it says any device which of course works with
the power source which is kind of talked about in this one and then which is no longer
current owner does not requires it so you are basically trying to discard that, so when you
try to do that it becomes in electronic waste as I was explaining to you in the previous
slide as well.

So, electronic waste could be broader, since it is a newer waste stream yeah in waste
management in general the definition other than for the hazardous waste for non
hazardous waste the definition and categories what makes a electronic waste what does
not under comes under electronic waste it actually differs from country to country. So,
when you are looking at different papers those of you who are I am assuming that, since
it is a kind of a specialized course most of my students would be like finally year like B
tech or masters students or maybe P H D students or professors working at a different
universities.

So, different colleges; so it is a specialized area so when you if you are trying to go into
any research in this particular area, so when you for doing any research you need to learn
you need to read a lot of literature, so when you read a lot of literature, be sure of where
that literature is coming from? If it is coming from the European Union it will follow a
different definition of electronic waste, if it comes from India it will follow a different
definition of electronic waste.

India is trying to match with the electron European Union definition and if you are in
North America the definition may be different so be careful with what definition you are
looking at? Because the definition might vary from one paper to another paper and then
if you are try to compare this different papers together, you may not be comparing the
same thing it may be different things so it is not a what we call not a apple to apple
comparison. So, you may be unfair in making those comparisons, so make sure you
understand where this study was done and how to take care of those let the details.
(Refer Slide Time: 19:58)

So, that is what we were looking at in terms of the electronic waste, now, to continue a
little bit further we will look at some of the examples as well. So, it is the why again it
kind of goes into why we should look at with the because of the presence of deadly
chemicals and toxic substances in the electronic gadgets, it is disposal of e waste is
becoming an environmental and health like a; when we say health? It is a human health,
you are talking about the human health, so it is a human health nightmare.

So, and the other big problem that we are having right now is; globally only 15 to 20
percent of E waste is recycle, only 15 to 20 percent of E waste is being recycled while in
while the rest is being dumped into many developing countries such as; India, china,
Nigeria. So, there is an illegal dumping of E waste in the name of recycling in the name
of sending old electronics, old computers for the poor schools in developing countries we
are getting lot of electronic waste coming into the country.

So, it is there is a check on that china now is actually put putting a more check India is
also with there are a lot of N G O’s and we are now people are more try more vigilant in
terms of these activities, but there are people within our country who wants to get these
electronic waste to process them and try to recover some of some money out of there. So,
there is a lot of E waste coming in and I will talk about that how E waste travels
globally?
So, by this year by the last year which is a 2017; people it was say that people will
people have discarded may have this study was done a little while ago so that is kind of
projects that, so it is 92 billion pounds of E waste per year equivalent to that 126 empire
state building, so that is so much of electronic waste. So, if you took the electronic waste
of the world and put it in empire state building you will need 126 of them, so that is a lot
of buildings you will require.

(Refer Slide Time: 22:05)

So, E waste it is a big problem and it is a lot of things needs to be handled in terms of
electronic waste, so let us will cut off in terms of we will try to look at, how to classify?
So it is a big problem I think you understand by this time, I try to give you some
definition of electronic waste, some of the why it is big problem there are lot of toxic
chemicals and we will try we will go into details of each one of those subsequently. But
in terms of before we get into the problem always you have a big problem you try to
divided it into a smaller, so that is called classification.

So, you are trying to put it into different categories, so here we will be try to classify
electronic waste as some only one is a temperature change, you are trying to change the
temperature; that is a temperature change equipment, that is a one such as; cooling and
freezing equipment’s the refrigerators, freezers, air conditioners, heat pumps so that is
your temperature and cooling equipment right there, then you may have a; screen,
monitors, television, laptops, tablets so that is another things in there like it is that is your
display devices.

(Refer Slide Time: 23:27)

Lamps such as; fluorescent lamp, compact C F L, L E D lamps so those are also
electronic waste, so these are all different classifications of E waste. And going further
you can even classify it as a large equipment, we can call it a large equipment it could be
a large equipment such as; washing machine, clothes dryer, dishwasher, large printing
machine, copying equipment, photovoltaic panels, there could be a small equipment,
vacuum cleaner, microwaves, ventilation, you walk into any house today you find lots
and lots of gadgets and most of it is electronics.

You go into a kitchen; there will be a microwave, there will be a there might be a many
times separate microwaves, separate oven toaster griller, what we call? O T G, there
might be some blenders, you will have a mixer and of course, your some other stuff over
there as well juicer and food processor and so when some grinders, so you just in the
kitchen and then you go down the kitchen go to the drawing room again several things;
TV, computers, P D A’s, laptop, I pad, mobile phones, several mobile phones,
conditioners.

So, you think about that; we use electronics like the media that I am using right now, like
I am teaching you from a using a computer, so that is an electronics. Which is this is
getting recorded on a camera, which is an a another electronics and things would be
processed on electronic equipment and it would be put on you are watching it on an
electronic product to you, whether it is your laptop or your desktop or so it is we are
using lots and lots of electronics and that is the way the life is, we cannot just go back
and not use any electronics.

So, what is needed is let us try to manage so that when that life of the electronics goes
away the and that unfortunately the life is also getting decreasing, earlier if you buy a
computer you try to hold on to it for a longer period of time, but these days because of
the change in technology new; once you have windows 10 then there will be new
windows, the new sign of software’s, older system will not work you need more Giga
ram you more ram more hard disk, so all these things force us to buy new camp new
computers pretty soon.

So around 2 to half to 3 years it is kind of what is estimated a typical life of a laptop or a

desktop, even laptop would be currently maybe lower than that and the cell phones is
even much lower than that. So, it is so with this will leading to more and more
production of electronic waste and because of presence of all those heavy metals which
we will talk about, we have to manage it properly it is a human health impact,
environmental impact and as well at the same time it is a good resource we can use that
electronics waste and recover a lot of have lot of material from there which could be a
good job making a industry in the country.

So, coming back to here in terms of the category that we were looking at; so we have the
we talked about the logic equipment there are a small equipment, then you may have a
small I T and telecommunication for example; mobile phone, G P S, pocket calculators,
routers and all those things that we use for our day to day the working.
(Refer Slide Time: 26:38)

So, same thing just presented in some sort of pictures for you to understand a little bit
quicker, so we will go over these slides a little bit faster next three slides. So, it could be
large household appliances as you can see over here you can have large household
appliance, so this is your large household appliances where refrigerators ma this those
like a oven that washing machine, microwave, freezers so those are your large
equipment.

Then you may have I C T what is; we hear a lot about I C T information and
communication technology equipment, so you have all these stuff computers, computer
peripherals, video games, consoles and all those things are your copying equipment those
are our information and communication, then we can have consumer electronics which
would be your saver your clock some projectors, pointers, cameras, so those coffee
machines, clocks, watches, hair dryers, savers, so they becomes consumer electronics, so
there are different again different types of electronic items and when they are discarded
they become all of them will become part of the waste.
(Refer Slide Time: 27:54)

Next it is if you look at another classification is could be we have large household

appliances, the small household appliances, then we can have electrical and electrical
toys so that is another way of defining is we have electrical and electronic toys. So, that
is your where we have drills, saws, swing machines, those are our other category out
there.

(Refer Slide Time: 28:20)

Then we can also define them in terms of consumer equipment; so T V, radio, video,
camera, so this is our consumer equipment’s. Then we could have some lightning and
also as well as fans and other stuff, toys, lasers and sports equipment’s, so you can divide
you can put it into a different classification again it depends on how you want to
categorize them? Same item can be put in to different categories. So, in term here we
have; C F L, sodium vapor lamp, fans, switches, wires, so those are your lighting
equipment toys laser computers phones again videos.

Here also you can have video cameras, amplifiers, T V and radios you can put them into
different categories and that is what you will see when you start looking at different
literature, when you when will supply you will some information on electronic waste
which you will see the different reports from different parts of the world, you see the
definitions classification do change that is why I wanted you to see these examples so
that you do not get surprised when you see that some report calls it a one way the other
report calls it the other way it is just the way people want to put it.

(Refer Slide Time: 29:28)

So, another medical devices we did not have talked about that, so medical device so all
the we walk into any hospital these days I C U and all there are lots of things that is
being used in those well medical places like; hospitals and other places like radiology,
cardiology, neurology, dialysis all these equipments are electronics. Then we have some
monitoring equipment like; fire alarms, smoke detectors, thermostats, A T M, coffee
vendors, so all these are again another category so those things are all part of electronics
and when they get discarded they have all will become part of electronic waste.
(Refer Slide Time: 30:06)

So, in terms of composition of electronic waste and this composition is from the
electronic waste produced in India. So, we are looking at; we collected some data from
the Indian scenario and this is a slightly older data so I think the in next slide will show
you the newer data. So, that is why we are calling it this as a previous scenario, when we
say a previous scenario actually this is the data which is from the older literature. So, you
will see when you see the both slides and then you will understand why I am calling it
previous and what do why I am calling it newer.

So, if you pay attention to this table and then will look at the pie chart, let us look at the
table. So, here we are talking about different categories like; ferrous metal, nonferrous
metal, plastics, glass and some others which is present. So, others mean which does not
does not include in these categories over there, so ferrous is; iron and a steel, nonferrous
of course; aluminum, copper, lead, cadmium, mercury, gold a lot of thing arsenic,
selenium, palladium all those things, plastic; there could be a brominated or non
brominated, brominated plastics is where the brominated flame retardants, which is to
keep it not getting heated not getting catch fire.

Because when you look even if you are worked with your laptop putting in your lap you
may have felt that after half an hour or 40 minutes it gets really hot sometimes, if it gets
hot the things inside may catch fire, so those plastics may catch fire which is there inside,
so there is brominated flame retardant containing plastic they keep the it is a fire
retardant, so it is a it does not let the fire to propagate, so that is it keeps it low. So, that is
the reason why it is a brominated or non brominated depending on where the plastic is
being used it could be either of either one of those, glass it could be leaded glass where
led is also part of that or normal class so those are all these different compositions.

So, now you understand what is the different category? So let us look at the pie chart. So,
when you look at the pie chart when we say; glass is around 15 percent, others is 7
percent, ferrous metal 36, non ferrous 19 and plastic is 23. So, now, remember the these
two numbers; ferrous metal 36, plastic 23 and with this two numbers keeping that in
mind let us look at the next slide why and you will understand why I wanted to look at
the next slide keeping those two numbers in mind as you can it is I.

(Refer Slide Time: 32:34)

Let us look at this first and then we will come back to that slide before because I want
you to see this slide. So, if you remember there are from the earlier ferrous was higher
and plastic was less, now if you look at the in terms of the small household appliances
this is the latest data, when I say present scenario like it is also like almost 2 years old, so
here if you look at the ferrous metal is 29 percent and plastic is 38 percent, here the
ferrous metal is 36 percent and the plastic is also catching up at 30 percent, so it is if you
look at the difference between the plastics here plastic has already overtaken ferrous
metal and here the difference has narrowed down. So, what is happening is? We are
replacing this more ferrous metal by different kind of plastic that is why the electronics
are getting lighter.

Now, why it is important? It is important because when we will when we will looking at
the lead chemistry, looking at the heavy metal chemistry between the presence of iron the
heavy metal chemistry the other heavy metals which is present in electronics it is a bit
different when the iron is not present, their chemistry gets little bit chemistry changes a
bit.

So, we will talk about that in a later probably in second or third week, but remember that
the newer electronics is having less ferrous more plastic and that is why it is becoming
lighter as well it becomes much less heavy as compared to others and we have other
categories in terms of we have ferrous plastic, then we have a non ferrous we have glass
similarly here we have non ferrous and glass as well.

(Refer Slide Time: 34:26)

So, we skipped one slide so let us go look at and look at that slide and then will close this
particular module, so let us go back there and this is let us yes we missed this one. So, in
terms of composition of E waste in terms the same thing that you looked at earlier, so if
you look at different types of product; so large if you ferrous again we are looking at the
same category ferrous nonferrous, plastic and glass. So, large household appliances more
ferrous kind of make sense so you when you compare to a small household like; large
household appliances and big more steel, more iron there and I C T also has that,
nonferrous is pretty much the same in these two categories it is much lower here and also
lamps has nonferrous as well, plastics small household appliances has more plastic
compared to the large household, large household as may be it is a bigger mat it is a
bigger structured so it needs more stability, so that is why you have more metal that is
why you have more ferrous there and then we have a 30 percent and then 3.7 in lamps
not much plastic over there.

But most lamps mostly it is a glass; 77 percent glass, here we have around 20 percent
glass and then glass is much lower in these two categories, then there are some others
category totally it adds up to around hundred percent, so this work was done in June
2011 that is why it was part of that previous scenario not the latest scenario, the latest
data that are produced that I showed you into the next slide just slide before this one this
slide it is actually data collected over the last 2 years.

So, things are changing our electronic product is changing. So, in this module if you
have what is the take home message? So, after every video this in this particular course I
will try to summarize it in a briefly in a minute and to basically like a, what is the
important point? And the important point for this particular video is we have looked at
what is electronic waste?

How to define it? Definition changes depending on where you are in which part of the
globe European Union, North America, India definition may dif may differ may differ, so
you need to look at the is you need to be careful about that and the nature there are you
can classify electronic waste into different categories and once you classify into different
the how you do the classification that is also there is no uniformity people may do it in a
different way and then at the same time ah.

But the bottom line is that all these electronics the reason why we are worried about
them? Because of for the presence of large amount of heavy metals and with the heavy
metals could be recovered and could be brought back to economy, so that will be a one
option. And if you do not reach that is called like a recycling and recovery and if you do
not do it we would put it in a dump site or put goes in an informal sector, where things
are not managed properly we have we may end up damaging lots of environmental
damages, human health damages and that is why the concern in terms of the electronic
waste.
Electronic products are changing, becoming more lighter and lighter more plastic less
and less metal and of course, the product leads to discarded products is the waste, so the
waste composition is also changing the waste composition is also dynamic as you will
see like a even if you just think about your cell phone because everybody re can relate to
their cell phone the cell phone design cell phone things keeps on changing so fast. So of
course, when it 3,4 years down the line when the cell phone comes into the disposal
stream it will again it will have an impact on what how that composition of disposal
stream will be; number one product in terms of disposal stream for electronic waste in
few years from now is going to be cell phone.

So, right now it could be the C P U’s or the laptops which is leading the pack, but down
the line 3,4,5 years down the line the prediction is the prediction is that it is the cell
phone which will be the number one component in terms of the discarded electronic
products.

So, with that let us close this video I will see you again in the next video, again
discussion board is there ask questions and we will be more than happy to answer and I
look forward to seeing the receiving your comments queries and other stuff through the
discussion board.

Thank you.