Sai ram

INTRODUCTION:
What is E-waste?

Electronic waste or e-waste describes discarded electrical or electronic devices. Used electronics which are destined for reuse,
resale, salvage, recycling, or disposal are also considered e-waste. Informal processing of e-waste in developing countries can
lead to adverse human health effects and environmental pollution.

Electronic scrap components, such as CPUs, contain potentially harmful components such as lead, cadmium, beryllium, or
brominated flame retardants [1]. Recycling and disposal of e-waste may involve significant risk to health of workers and
communities in developed countries and great care must be taken to avoid unsafe exposure in recycling operations and leaking of
materials such as heavy metals from landfills and incinerator ashes.

E-waste recycling

Of the various green initiatives, waste recycling creates the highest positive impact on the environment. Of all the different types
of waste, electronic waste has the characteristics of

 the fastest growing segment of waste

 most valuable due to its basic composition
 very hazardous, if not handled carefully.
However, the sector is very new with only a few corporate players in India and globally.

Most of the electronic waste management sector is currently handled by the unorganized/informal sector in India [2,3]. However
due to lack of skills, knowledge, awareness, etc., the sector has remained highly labour intensive, environmentally unfriendly
and unhealthy. If done in the correct way and in an organized fashion, e-waste management can become a dominant economic
sector.

As per various numbers published by various research agencies, about 20 to 50 million tonnes of e-waste are generated
worldwide every year [1]. E-waste comprises of more than 5 % of all solid waste generated and the volume is expected to
increase at a rate of 300% per annum in developing countries [2,3].

In India, the total e-waste generated is expected to cross 800,000 tons in 2012 [3]. This figure is expected to grow at a rate of 30
– 50 % year on year [3].

Fundamental Understanding of E-Waste and Handling Practices

E-Waste

Old electronic equipments that have outlived their useful life are categorized as Electronic waste or e-waste. E-waste may be
defined as discarded computers, office electronic equipment, entertainment device electronics, mobile phones, television sets,
and refrigerators. This includes used electronics which are destined for reuse, resale, salvage, recycling, or disposal as well as re-
usables (working and repairable electronics) and secondary scraps (copper, steel, plastic, etc.).

The term "waste" is reserved for residue or material which is dumped by the buyer rather than recycled, including residue from
reuse and recycling operations, because loads of surplus electronics are frequently commingled (good, recyclable, and non-
recyclable). On an average, in India, in case of mobile phones the useful life goes upto 2 years [3]. In case of PCs, it may go upto
5 years [3]. The life of these equipments is extended due to reasons such as upgrade, repair and reuse, donation to charity, etc.

E-waste Categories and Classification

E-waste is categorized by the government of India under the broad class of hazardous waste. Within e-waste, there are several
categories such as large and small household appliances, electrical and electronic toys and sporting equipment, tools, computers
and related equipment, etc. The classification of e-waste as per government of India norms is listed in Table I.

Table I: classification of e-waste as per government of India norms [2]

 Category Detail Electronics
CAT-A1 Large household appliances Refrigerators, washing machine,
clothes dryer, dish washer, etc.
CAT-A2 Small household appliances Vacuum cleaners, toasters, iron, coffee
machine, electric shaver, watches, etc.
CAT-A3 Toys, leisure and sports equipment Electric racing sets, video game
consoles, sporting equipments, etc.
CAT-A4 Electrical and electronic tools Drills, saws, sewing machines,
welding tools, etc.
CAT-A5 Medical devices Radiotherapy equipments, dialysis
equipments, lab equipments, etc.
CAT-A6 Monitoring and control equipments Smoke detectors, thermostats,
industrial control panels, heating
regulators, etc.
CAT-A7 Automatic dispensers Beverage dispensers, money
dispensers, etc.
CAT-B1 IT and telecommunication equipments Personal computers, laptops,
notebooks, cordless telephones, etc.
CAT-B2 Consumer electronics Radio, T.V. sets, video cameras,
recorders, audio amplifiers, musical
instruments, etc.

Composition of e-waste

Electrical and Electronic equipment contains metallic and non metallic elements, alloys and compounds such as Copper,
Aluminium, Gold, Silver, Palladium, Platinum, Nickel, Tin, Lead, Iron, Sulphur, Phosphorous, Arsenic etc. If discarded in the
open, these metals can cause a severe environmental and health hazard. Table II lists the metals and their toxic effects.

Table II: E-waste components and their health hazards [2]

Metals Toxic effects

Antimony Irritation in eyes, skin, lungs, heart
Bismuth Inhalation problems, skin reactions, sleeplessness,
depression
Cadmium Lung damage, bone fracture, DNA damage, etc.
Chromium Allergic reactions, cancer, nose irritations, nose bleeds,
kidney and liver damage, etc.
Cobalt Lung damage, hair loss, nausea, vision problems, heart
problems, thyroid, etc.
Gallium Throat irritation, breathing difficulty, chest pain, partial
paralysis
Germanium Harmful for skin, eyes and blood
Molybdenum Joint pains
Nickel Cancer, heat disorders.
Selenium Fluid in lungs, abdominal pain, fever, bronchitis, etc.
Silver Kidney, eye, lung, liver and brain damage, anaemia
Lead Rise in blood pressure, kidney damage, miscarriage, sperm
damage, brain damage
Tin Eye and skin irritation, headaches, sickness, dizziness, etc.
Iron Lung cancer
Zinc Birth defects, nausea, skin irritation

It is difficult to identify the level of content in each electronic and electrical material. For each category of electronic and
electrical equipments, each manufacturer, each model may have different composition. However, based on different studies and
experiments, we can establish average benchmark for some products. Table III lists the average composition of electrical and
electronic components.

Table III: Average composition of electrical and electronic components by weight [2]
 Components Percentage by weight Components Percentage by weight
PCB and active electronics 20 Casing, casting and non electrical parts 80
Copper 16 Plastic 30
Gold 0.03 Ferrous metals 20
Silver 0.1 Aluminium 15
Palladium 0.01 Glass 20
Lead 2 Copper 15
Aluminium 5 TOTAL 100
Iron 5
Nickel 1
Solder 0.66
Epoxy 58
Other 12.2
TOTAL 100

E-waste handling

E-waste is generated in households and corporates (including private and government companies). The collection of this waste
happens in different ways. The chains start from ragpickers, and move up to local scrap dealers, area aggregators and finally
recyclers [3]. Corporate business houses sell their old electrical and electronic equipment to second-hand buyers through various
means such as auction, scrap sale or open bidding [3].

Once e-waste is collected from its generators, it is resold or rented or donated or dismantled for parts or sold on basis of weight
to scrap dealers. Most of the recycling community works in the informal sector. The aggregate electrical and electronic waste is
taken by a larger scrap dealer who sorts the material as per his own convenience. The non usable equipment is dismantled
manually. The easily separable parts such as plastics, glass, metal cabinets etc are directly sold in various markets. The more
complicated parts such as mother boards, assemblies, fused parts etc are usually sold to an informal recycler. These metals are
sold to smelters. In most cases, the extraction techniques are so crude that the output is also contaminated. Also the efficiency of
such techniques is only about 30%. From the usable part of the collected electrical and electronic waste, some is sold directly in
second hand sale, some is refurbished and sold as a refurbished product, some is donated to charity and some is rented.

An overview of the e-waste handling process divides the market into three categories as [3]:
1. Buyers: Main buyers are smelters, plastic recyclers, glass recyclers, metal traders, metal buyers, metal exchanges etc.
2. Suppliers: the suppliers could be both household and corporate entities. Apart from business houses, the household
electrical and electronic waste can be collected through a network of scrap dealers, retail outlets, etc.
3. Competition: The informal sector forms the biggest competitor. However, it has several systemic weaknesses. Within
the organized sector, the competition is still limited to just about 10 recyclers in India.

E-waste management
Audiovisual components, televisions, VCRs, stereo equipment, mobile phones, other handheld devices, and computer
components contain valuable elements and substances suitable for reclamation, including lead, silver, copper, and gold.
Dealing with e-waste
Currently, around the world, the volume of obsolete computers and other E-Wastes temporarily stored for recycling or disposal is
growing at an alarming rate causing enormous environmental and health hazard to any community. Table IV shows how much
waste there is in 500 million computers.

Table IV: weight (in pounds) of waste in 500 million computers [1]

Material Weight (in Pounds)

Plastic 6.32 Billion
Lead 1.58 Billion
Cadmium 3 Million
Chromium 1.9 Million
Mercury 0.632 Million

Recycling
Recycling raw materials from end-of-life electronics is the most effective solution to the growing e-waste problem. Most
electronic devices contain a variety of materials, including metals that can be recovered for future uses.

Major challenges in recycling: One of the major challenges is recycling the printed circuit boards from the electronic wastes.
The circuit boards contain such precious metals as gold, silver, platinum, etc. and such base metals as copper, iron, aluminum,
etc. One way e-waste is processed is by melting circuit boards, burning cable sheathing to recover copper wire and open- pit acid
leaching for separating metals of value [4]. Conventional method employed is mechanical shredding and separation but the
recycling efficiency is low. Alternative methods such as cryogenic decomposition have been studied for printed circuit board
recycling, and some other methods are still under investigation [5].
Properly disposing of or reusing electronics can help prevent health problems, reduce greenhouse-gas emissions, and create jobs
[6]. Reuse and refurbishing offer a more environmentally friendly and socially conscious alternative to downcycling processes.

Advantages of recycling:

1. By dismantling and providing reuse possibilities, intact natural resources are conserved and air and water pollution
caused by hazardous disposal is avoided.
2. Recycling reduces the amount of greenhouse gas emissions caused by the manufacturing of new products [7]

3. Many of the materials in the e-waste, including ferrous (iron-based) and non-ferrous metals, glass, and various types of
plastic, can be recycled and re-used again [8].

4. certain 3D printers have been designed (FDM variety) to produce waste that can be easily recycled which decreases the
amount of harmful pollutants in the atmosphere [9]. The excess plastic from these printers that comes out as a
byproduct can also be reused to create new 3D printed creations [10].

Responsible recycling: Benefits of recycling are extended when responsible recycling methods are used. Responsible recycling
aims to minimize the dangers to human health and the environment that disposed and dismantled electronics can create.
Moreover, it ensures best management practices of the electronics being recycled, worker health and safety, and consideration
for the environment locally and abroad [11].

What happens in the world: In Europe, metals that are recycled are returned to companies of origin at a reduced cost
[12].Through a committed recycling system, manufacturers in Japan have been pushed to make their products more sustainable.
Since many companies were responsible for the recycling of their own products, this imposed responsibility on manufacturers
requiring many to redesign their infrastructure. As a result, manufacturers in Japan have the added option to sell the recycled
metals [13].

Processing Techniques

In many developed countries, electronic waste processing usually first involves dismantling the equipment into various parts
(metal frames, power supplies, circuit boards, plastics), often by hand, but increasingly by automated shredding equipment. The
advantages of this process are the human's ability to recognize and save working and repairable parts, including chips,
transistors, RAM, etc. The disadvantage is that the labor is cheapest in countries with the lowest health and safety standards.

In an alternative bulk system, a hopper conveys material for shredding into an unsophisticated mechanical separator, with
screening and granulating machines to separate constituent metal and plastic fractions, which are sold to smelters or plastics
recyclers. Such recycling machinery is enclosed and employs a dust collection system. Some of the emissions are caught by
scrubbers and screens. Magnets, eddy currents, and Trommel screens are employed to separate glass, plastic, and ferrous and
nonferrous metals, which can then be further separated at a smelter [14].

Leaded glass from CRTs is reused in car batteries, ammunition, and lead wheel weights, or sold to foundries as a fluxing agent in
processing raw lead ore. Copper, gold, palladium, silver and tin are valuable metals sold to smelters for recycling. Hazardous
smoke and gases are captured, contained and treated to mitigate environmental threat. These methods allow for safe reclamation
of all valuable computer construction materials.

An ideal electronic waste recycling plant combines dismantling for component recovery with increased cost-effective processing
of bulk electronic waste. Reuse is an alternative option to recycling because it extends the lifespan of a device. Devices still need
eventual recycling, but by allowing others to purchase used electronics, recycling can be postponed and value gained from
device use.

What happens in the world: Hewlett-Packard product recycling solutions manager Renee St. Denis describes its process as:
"We move them through giant shredders about 30 feet tall and it shreds everything into pieces about the size of a quarter. Once
your disk drive is shredded into pieces about this big, it's hard to get the data off"[15].

E-waste management in unorganised sector

More than 90% of the E-Waste generated in the country end up in the unorganised market for recycling and disposal. The
unorganised sector mainly consists of the urban slums of the metros and mini metros where recycling operations are carried out
by the unskilled employees using the most rudimentary methods to reduce cost.
The workers face dangerous working conditions as they may be without protection like gloves or masks. Very often child labour
is employed to separate the parts from the circuit board utilising wire cutters pliers. Nitric acid is used on the circuit board to
remove gold and platinum. It is estimated that about half of the circuit boards used in the appliances in India end up in
Moradabad (Uttar Pradesh). Private and Public Sector prefer auctioning their E-Waste to informal dismantlers and get good price
of it.

E-waste management in organised sector

In July 2009, E-Waste Recyclers Association was formed. The organized sector faces numerous problems such as
1. Lack of proper collection and disposal mechanism
2. Stiff resistance from large informal sector
a) TIC Group India Pvt. Ltd. in Noida (UP) has capacity 500 tonnes of E-Waste annually but processing only
200 tonnes per year
b) Attero recycling unit in Roorkee (Uttarakhand) is a 35 crore plant can process 36000 tonnes per year
although getting 600 tonnes currently
3. License to import may be necessary to sustain formal business

What happens in the world: E-Parisara in the formal sector in Bengaluru has been encouraged by the Central and State
Pollution Control Board which would like it replicated in all major cities in the country. Companies such as IBM, Tate Elxsi,
ABB and Philips are among its clients. But many major IT firms are not responding. As a result, E-Parisara only utilized one-
thirds of its processing capacity of 3 tonnes/day.

Conclusion
The quantum of wastes generated over the past several years have posed an ever increasing threat to environment and public
health. E-waste has emerged as the fastest growing waste streams worldwide, today. As long as electronic equipments continue
to contain an assortment of toxic chemicals and are designed without the recycling aspect, they would pose a threat to the
environment and public health at their end-of-life.

Considering all the information provided previously, we hold the opinion that e-waste management is a financially viable and
rewarding business. However, the key to its success is a continuous flow of electrical and electronic waste. E-waste recycling is
a highly profitable business, even though the costs and revenues fluctuate according to market conditions. Precious metals are in
restricted quantities and therefore to ensure maximum recovery, the process of separating metals must be such that there is
minimal contamination and a minimum loss. Use of technology ensures this and pays off in the long run as compared to the
unorganized sector which uses manual labour and in the process, stays with a very low efficiency, low quality of yield and
therefore with a much lower profitability.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
1. www.wikipedia.org
2. D.B. Prabhu, S. Kochrekar. “E-waste reposal,” Repose waste management and research, Maharashtra.
3. A. K. Das. “Current scenario of E-waste management in India,” Indian Institute of Chemical Engineers, Kolkata.
4. Sthiannopkao S, Wong MH. (2012) Handling e-waste in developed and developing countries: Initiatives, practices, and
consequences. Sci Total Environ.

5. Yuan, C.; Zhang, H. C.; McKenna, G.; Korzeniewski, C.; Li, J. (2007). "Experimental Studies on Cryogenic Recycling
of Printed Circuit Board". International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology. 34: 657–666.

6. Fela, Jen (April 2010). "Developing countries face e-waste crisis". Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment. 8 (3):
117.

7. "Benefits of Recycling". hardrawgathering.co.uk. Archived from the original on 6 January 2015. Retrieved 6 January
2015.

8. "What can be recycled from e-waste?". zerowaste.sa.gov.au. Retrieved 29 February 2016.

9. "How to Print 3D Parts Better". sustainabilityworkshop.autodesk.com. Archived from the original on 27 February 2016.
Retrieved 29 February 2016.

10. "Zero or close to zero waste". plasticscribbler.com. Archived from the original on 6 March 2016. Retrieved 29 February
2016.

11. Interagency Task Force on Electronics Stewardship. (20 July 2011). National Strategy for Electronics Stewardship

12. "THE FUTURE OF ELECTRONIC WASTE RECYCLING IN THE UNITED STATES: Obstacles and Domestic
Solution" (PDF). sea.columbia.edu/. Archived (PDF) from the original on 3 October 2016. Retrieved 29 February 2016.
 13. "Characteristics of E-waste Recycling System in Japan and China" (PDF). workspace.unpan.org. Archived (PDF) from
the original on 12 October 2016. Retrieved 29 February 2016.

14. "WEEE recycling resources". Simsrecycling.co.uk. Archived from the original on 6 January 2015. Retrieved 6 January
2015.

15. "Kwiat_Environmental Educatioin". Learning Ace.

LOAN WALA HOMEWORK

Q1. What are the different types of loans that can be availed from the banks in India?

A. There are numerous types of loans that a person can avail form the banks such as personal loan, home loan, vehicle loan,
education loan, agricultural loans, etc.

Q2. Can you explain the process of attaining a loan? What are the major points one should know about?

A. Taking a loan is not as complicated as most people think. The only thing which should be paid attention to is that genuine
documents should be submitted to the bank on time. In India, different types of loans in India require different types of
documents. However, the main steps involved while applying for a loan are the same.

 Loan Application Form: The first step is filling an application form for the loan correctly, clearly mentioning the type
of loan required.
 CIBIL Check: CIBIL Check is done in order to count the scores of your credit cards. CIBIL collects and maintains the
records about the loans you have to pay apart from the loan you are applying for. If the score of your credit card is higher,
loan can be sanctioned to you easily.

 Submission of Required Documents: submission of the required documents is a very important procedure involved in
the sanction of a loan. The customers need to produce their identity proofs and other certificates to that bank so that they can
trust you for providing loan.

 Approval of Loan: to approve/disapprove a loan, the banks’ job is to go through the documents and details properly.
Once the documents are approved by the banks, they approve their customers for the loan.

Q3. Fixed deposits are very popular with people in all parts of India. Is there an eligibility criteria for people who want to put
their money into a fixed deposit.

A. Fixed Deposit schemes can be availed by citizens of India, irrespective of their age. Private or public limited company, society
and a partnership firm too are eligible to invest in an FD.

Q4. Is there a limit on how much money can be put into the fixed deposit? Is there a time limit too?

A. The money limits vary from bank to bank. The minimum amount of time one can keep money in fixed deposit is 7 days. The
maximum amount of time is 10 years.

Q5. Why should anyone keep money in fixed deposits?

A. Fixed deposits are popular for various reasons. Your money is not only safe in the fixed deposits with the bank, you also
receive interest on your money. The interest amount is credited into your savings account. The banks offer special interest rates
for senior citizens. In case of an urgent need, you can withdraw your fixed deposit from the bank, albeit with a small penalty.
However, another option is to avail a loan against one’s fixed deposit. Fixed deposits also allow for tax benefits.

Q6. What are savings accounts? Why should one open a savings account?

A. Opening a savings account means that you keep money into your account that you don’t intend to use for daily or regular
expenses and the bank provides a modest interest on the money in the account. The banks limit the number of withdrawals you
can make from your savings account each month. Most banks do not provide checks with a savings account, unlike a checking
account.
It is more beneficial to keep your unneeded funds in a savings account than a checking account so that your money can grow, as
the bank pays you interest. Savings accounts facilitate saving and also make it very easy to access your funds. It is easier than
making a withdrawal from a retirement account, or selling stocks or other assets.

Q7. How much money should be kept in a savings account?

A. There is a rule of thumb for savings account. You should have enough savings to cover at least three to six months' worth of
bills so that if you lose your job, face a medical issue or encounter another emergency, you have a financial cushion. With a
savings account, you can access the money quickly and easily when you need it. To withdraw funds, you can visit your local
bank branch, transfer funds to another account using internet banking or use an ATM. Excess money should be placed in higher
interest-bearing accounts or used to pay down debt with higher interest rates.

Q8. What is the relationship between the commercial banks in India and the Reserve bank of India?

A. The relationship between RBI and commercial banks is that of the regulator and regulated. The RBI gets its powers and
discharges its responsibilities as per the Reserve Bank of India Act 1934. The commercial banks function under the Banking
Regulation Act 1949. The RBI is the monetary authority of India and supervises all the banks under its jurisdiction. It issues
currency notes, provides liquidity to commercial banks, it regulates money supply and liquidity, inspects the books of
commercial banks and can suspend operations of a bank if there are serious financial irregularities. It acts as the lender of the last
resort to the commercial banking system.

Q9. How is the relationship between IndusInd bank and the RBI?

A. Our bank has recently received the approval of the Reserve Bank of India for a merger between IndusInd Bank Limited and
Bharat Financial Inclusion Limited. We have received no-objection of the Reserve Bank of India ('RBI') for the amalgamation in
the month of March, along with no-objections from the National stock exchange and the Bombay stock exchange.

Q10. In the major cities of India, people are very well aware of the banking system. What about the rural areas? How do banks
extend their services to the people in rural areas?

A. Not-for-profit organizations, microfinance institutions, post offices, retired bank as well as government employees and ex-
servicemen are allowed by the RBI to channel banking services and acting as proxies for banks in rural and semi-urban India.
The intermediaries chosen to spread banking are called business facilitators and business correspondents. Business facilitators
identify borrowers, process loan applications and create awareness about savings and banking products. On the other hand, the
business correspondents handle money directly, collecting deposits, disbursing loans, accepting loan repayments and also selling
mutual fund, pension and insurance products. These correspondents are very important for expanding the scope of banking
services in rural India.

Q.11 what about loans for people in rural areas? They do not have so much money. How do the banks help them?

A. The rural regional banks help by granting loans and advances to small and marginal farmers and agricultural laborers, to co-
operative societies, agricultural processing societies, primarily for agricultural purposes. Further, loans are granted to artisans,
small entrepreneurs and persons of small means who are engaged in trade, commerce and industry.

Q12. What is the Centralized Banking System? Does it benefit the banks only or their customers too?

A. centralized banking system means that a customer’s information on his financial dealings, profession, etc. is stored in the
central server of the bank, which is available to all the networked branches. The information is not stored on the particular bank
branch’s server. This task is carried through advanced software by making use of the services provided by specialized agencies.

Due to its benefits, a no. of banks in India in recent years have taken steps to implement the Centralized Banking System with a
view to build relationship with the customer based on the information captured and offering to the customer, the customized
financial products according to their need.

The Centralized Banking System definitely benefits the customers. They can do transactions from any branch of the bank. The
Centralized Banking System allows for lower incidence of errors, resulting in accuracy in transactions. It also results in a better
customer service and the customers are retained by the bank. Satisfied customers bring more customer traffic too. For the banks,
it helps by availing accurate data to make better use of the available infrastructure.
Q13. My father and uncles do internet banking and they talk about how convenient it is. I’m aware that the internet banking
service is not too old.

A. Online Banking or net banking is the facility provided by banks which allows customers to use banking services via internet.
Customers can avail services like online money transfer, account opening, bill payment, tracking account activity, etc. Using
online banking, banks can advertise their products and services in a manner that it reaches out millions of customers. With the
coverage of mobile phones which have a data 3G/4G connection, internet banking is now being accessed via mobile phones in
the rural areas too.

Internet banking has become one of the most convenient payment methods for transferring money. Most banks have created their
own apps that can be downloaded on the phone and used any time. Online banking is available round the clock, throughout the
year. You can carry out banking activities, regardless of it being a weekend, time of the day or even holidays. Also, it is highly
efficient in letting you carry out transactions within a few minutes. You no longer have to wait in queues for bill payments or
have to safe keep receipts of bill payments. All record of payments and bills is stored online on your account.

However, for those who are new to the world of banking, online banking may pose as slight challenge in terms of usage.
Account passwords are of crucial importance. Moreover, it is absolutely necessary that a user must never reveal their account
password to anyone. In order to use online banking, one needs to have internet connectivity. Also, if the bank servers are down,
you will be unable to access your account online to carry out transactions.