E-waste

The rapid digitization has made e-waste an important category of hazardous solid waste which needs to be managed responsibly by all. On one hand it is a great source of precious minerals and on the other it can have catastrophic effects if disposed irresponsibly. The potential of the former cannot be emphasized more than the recent 2020 Olympics held in Tokyo where medals were made from minerals recovered from e-waste.

Leading Indian firms manage operations related e-waste in various ways – a) disposal through Central/State Pollution Board authorized recycler or Producer Responsibility Organisations (PROs), b) buy-back arrangements with suppliers, c) disposal through MSTC Ltd, d) captive recycling facility, and e) refurbish and donate. Kotak Mahindra Bank and L&T Finance Holdings mentioned that they ensure data is erased before disposing e-waste to the recycler.

• Voltas: During the year various initiatives – such as collaboration with PROs and customer buyback schemes – were undertaken to bring down our overall waste generation. Through these initiatives, we achieved 100% of our e-waste recycling targets for the reporting period.

Majority of the companies that reported measures for e-waste dispose it to an approved recycler. Few companies opt for a combination of two or more ways, for instance disposal to an authorized recycler and buy-back arrangement with manufacturer or supplier. HAL, GAIL and Tata Communication dispose their e-waste in co-ordination with mini-ratna Metal and Scrap Trading Corporation Ltd (MSTC). Cisco Systems, Titan and Vodafone Idea have in-house programs to dispose, recycle or reuse e-waste. And ICICI Bank and ICICI Prudential Life Insurance refurbished and donated some IT assets (including desktops and laptops).

Community waste

With the burgeoning rise in waste, it is not possible for Government alone to address this challenge hence, corporate need to step in. Indian companies participate in community solid waste management projects (few undertake municipal sewage projects) as part of their CSR initiatives.

For community solid waste, companies partake: a) behaviour change campaigns, b) raise awareness on responsible segregation/disposal, c) distribute dust bins, d) provide waste collection vehicles to Municipalities, e) build capacity of relevant stakeholders, f) lend financial support, g) develop integrated waste management solutions, h) establish infrastructure (such as solid waste management facility, dry waste collection & segregation centre), and i) collaborate for on-ground monitoring and supervision.

Some companies clean-up a dumping site, beautify it and convert it into a usable space. Few (mostly cement) utilize waste as fuel in their operations. NTPC is setting up waste-to-energy plants in association with the Municipal Corporations of Surat, East Delhi, Varanasi and Indore. 10 companies reported that they have either facilitated an organic waste to compost facility or have imparted training for onsite composting, contributing to the GoI’s Swachh Bharat Mission. Few oil PSUs (BPCL, GAIL and IOCL) provided robotic manhole cleaning machines to avoid death of manhole cleaners.

• BPCL has set -up 33 micro composting units in partnership with the City Corporation, which have encouraged source segregation, reduced the burden on landfills and ensured recycling and composting of solid waste.

Unlike solid waste, community liquid waste management initiatives were reported by only around 10 companies. They have established treatment plants for municipal sewage and some of them utilize the treated water in their operations.

Plastic waste is generated in various functions of a business – a) plastic cups, stationery, etc., b) plastic used in products, c) plastic waste from machinery, and d) plastic used in packaging (both in-bound and out-bound). Due to the environmental challenges it poses, companies are working towards becoming plastic neutral in the near future. Bajaj Auto and DRL aim to be plastic neutral by 2022 and 2023, respectively in their Indian operations.

BASF and Reliance Industries are members of Alliance to End Plastic Waste, a consortium of 30 global companies. The members have committed to the goal of developing, deploying and bringing to scale solutions that will minimize and manage plastic waste and promote post-use solutions. These can be re-cycling, re-use and re-purposing of plastic to keep it out of the environment.

Indian companies opt for various measures to manage plastic waste generated in operations. Around 60 companies reported that they deployed one or more of the following initiatives – a) reduced use of plastic containers, b) eliminated/banned single-use and non-recyclable plastic in their premises, c) replaced plastic cups with ceramic ones, d) conducted awareness sessions for employees, and e) disposed it to authorized recyclers. Cement companies (ACC, Ambuja Cements, and UltraTech Cement) co-process plastic waste as fuel in their plants.

• BHEL declared 12 out of 14 townships as “Single Use Plastic Free Township” based on 3rd party certification audit.

To reduce out-bound packaging waste, companies choose environment friendly packaging material (such as biodegradable bags, recyclable plastic, and fabric waste), reduce layers of packaging, pack in bulk & tankers, and use returnable packaging (such as drums and carboys), where feasible.

Many firms are exploring ways to up-cycle plastic waste. Some of these projects are for using plastic waste to make roads, bricks and paver blocks; generate electricity, and to make diesel. Aditya Birla Fashion & Retail recycles plastic bottles into polyester fabric for making clothes. Tata Motors recycles plastic waste into premium material for potential use in future Jaguar and Land Rover models. TVS Motors, Cisco Systems and Asian Paints use recycled plastic waste in their products and packaging.