Practical 2

Theory
Electronic waste or e-waste describes discarded electrical or electronic devices such as mobile
phones, computers, and televisions. Used electronics that are destined for refurbishment, reuse,
resale, salvage recycling through material recovery, or disposal are also considered e-waste. E-
waste or electronic waste is created when an electronic product is discarded after the end of its
useful life. The rapid expansion of technology and the consumption-driven society results in
the creation of a very large amount of e-waste.

Inventory is required for e-waste management for several reasons:

1. Assessment of Quantity: Conducting an inventory helps in assessing the quantity of e-waste

generated. It provides valuable data on the volume and types of electronic devices that have
reached the end of their life cycle. This information is crucial for planning and implementing
effective e-waste management strategies.

2. Identification of Hazardous Materials: E-waste often contains hazardous substances such as

lead, mercury, cadmium, and flame retardants. An inventory allows for the identification and
tracking of these hazardous materials, ensuring proper handling, storage, and disposal to
prevent environmental pollution and health risks.

3. Resource Management: Inventory helps in managing valuable resources present in e-waste.

Electronic devices contain precious metals, rare earth elements, and other valuable materials
that can be recovered and reused through recycling processes. By conducting an inventory,
these resources can be identified, recovered, and reintegrated into the production cycle,
reducing the need for extracting raw materials and promoting resource sustainability.

4. Policy Development and Compliance: Inventory data aids in policy development and
regulatory compliance. It provides insights into the scale of e-waste generation, which can
guide the formulation of effective regulations, standards, and initiatives for managing e-waste.
Accurate inventory information ensures that businesses and organizations comply with legal
requirements and take responsibility for the proper disposal of their electronic products.

The survey about the disposal of e-waste is of importance due to the following reasons:

1. Environmental Impact Assessment: A survey helps in assessing the environmental impact

of improper e-waste disposal. It provides data on the current disposal practices, such as
landfilling or incineration, and their potential consequences on soil, water, and air quality. This
information is crucial for identifying areas of improvement and implementing sustainable
disposal methods.

2. Health and Safety Concerns: E-waste contains hazardous substances that can pose significant
risks to human health and the environment if not managed properly. Conducting a survey helps
in understanding how e-waste is currently being disposed of and whether it complies with
safety regulations. It allows for the identification of potential health risks and the development
of strategies to minimize exposure to hazardous materials.

3. Stakeholder Engagement: A survey facilitates engagement with various stakeholders

involved in e-waste disposal, including businesses, consumers, waste management agencies,
and policymakers. It helps in understanding their perspectives, challenges, and concerns related
to e-waste management. By involving stakeholders in the survey process, it promotes
collaboration, knowledge sharing, and the development of effective solutions.

4. Policy Development and Decision Making: Survey data plays a vital role in shaping policies
and making informed decisions regarding e-waste disposal. It provides evidence-based insights
into current practices, challenges, and potential opportunities for improvement. Survey results
can guide the formulation of regulations, incentives, and awareness campaigns to promote
responsible e-waste disposal and sustainable practices.

Methodology
Three google forms were created and circulated amongst peers to be filled in. Each form had a
few basic questions pertaining to an individuals preliminaries, such as their age, gender,
educational qualifications etc etc. Subsequently, the testees were asked questions to reveal the
level of awareness they have about e waste, including its nature, dangers it poses, ways to get
rid of it, and more. These responses were then tallied and organised into pie charts, thus
showing the overall views, awareness and knowledge of our sample groups. This data was then
observed and summariesed to gain relevant insight.

Observation
FORM 1 (Public Opinion)
A total of 9 responses were received which constituted 66.7% females and 33.3% males. (Fig

1.1)
All of the 9 respondents were students out of which 66.7% have recently graduated class 12th
and the remaining 33.3% were pursuing their undergraduate degrees.(Fig1.2,1.3)
77.8% of the total respondents had no source of income, 11.1% had an annual income between
10 to 15 lacs and the rest 11.1% had an annual income of below 10 lacs. (Fig1.4)

11.1% of the respondents had 3, 5 and 6 members in their families each and the rest 67.7% of
the respondents had 6 family members.(Fig1.5)
88.9% of the respondents had 5 to 10 electronic devices at home and 11.1% of the respondents
had more than 15 electronic devices at home. (Fig1.6)

Subsequently, the knowledge of respondents on E-waste was evaluated. All of them knew what
e-waste is and that it consists of hazardous materials.(Fig1.7,1.8)

33.3% of respondents thought that e- waste consists of precious materials, 44.4% of

respondents thought that it might and the rest 22.2% did not know. (Fig1.9)
 A large majority, 88.9% respondents felt that it is worthy to recycle and recover these
components but 11.1% are not sure about it. (Fig1.10)

66.7% of respondents knew that there are laws to manage E-waste, again leading to a majority,
whereas 11.1% felt were not sure and 22.2% did not know if these were any existing
laws.(Fig1.11)

44.4% of the respondents felt that they should sell the obsolete electronic devices, 11.1% felt
they should donate them and keep them in store. (Fig1.12)
33.3% felt they should throw them. 44.4% felt they should throw dysfunction e-waste, 22.2%
felt they should repair and sell them, 11.1% felt otherwise. (Fig1.13)

44.4% of the respondents would prefer to get rid of e - waste by throwing them, 33.3% of them
would likely give it away to scavengers and 11.1% each would like to store and incinerate

them.(Fig1.14)
All of them would prefer to formally recycle their e- waste (Fig1.15)
22.2% didn't know about a relevant source of information for e-waste recycling, 33.3% felt the
internet was relevant and the rest 44.4 % felt the newspaper and social media as relevant
sources.(Fig1.16)

The respondents were now asked to give their opinion on matters of e-waste. 44.4% of
respondents will adopt any national policy that manages e-waste whereas the rest 55.5% were
not sure if they would do the same.(Fig1.17)

44.4% of the respondents were willing to pay depending on the policy of management practices
of e-waste. 22.2% were not ready to pay and 33.3% were willing to pay.(Fig1.18)

44.4%feel that municipalities must be responsible for the e-waste management program, 33.3%
feel that the electronic device manufacturers should be responsible and 22.2% feel that the
citizens should be more responsible.(Fig1.19)
100% of respondents were aware of environmental pollution and were also aware of the fact
that electronic waste would severely impact the environment if not recycled in a friendly
manner. (Fig1.20, 1.21)

88.9% felt that they should contribute towards preventing environmental damage and 11.1%
were not sure about their involvement. (Fig1.22)