News | CCR RELECTRA

10 February 2018

RLG launches a PRO and ‘Clean to Green’ campaign to promote responsible e-waste recycling in India

On Friday, RLG’s India entity, officially launched its Producer’s Responsibility Organization (PRO) and its flagship campaign ‘Clean to Green’ in New Delhi. The PRO has been designed in compliance with the stringent E-waste management rules which are set to come into effect in India and will seek to minimize the impact of substandard ways of e-waste disposal on the environment. The campaign is focused on spreading mass awareness and sensitizing consumers on how and where to dispose electronics in a responsible manner.

On the eve of the launch, RLG organized an enriching panel discussion themed ‘Reimagining E-waste: Creating sustainable solutions for India.’ Experts from the industry, authorities and NGOs analyzed the obligations under Extended Producer Responsibility(EPR) legislative frame and stressed on need for a coherent multi-stakeholder cooperation to ensure the safe disposal of e-waste.

India is currently the fifth largest producer of e–waste in the world. Unfortunately, a mere 1.5 per cent of the total e-waste produced in India is properly recycled. In India approximately 1800 metric tons (MT) of e-waste is generated in India every year, which is estimated to grow up to 5200 (MT) by 2020.

With the PRO, RLG India will offer producers a sustainable, reliable and efficient option to comply with their extended producer obligations. RLG will channelize e-waste, arranging for direct pick-up and processing, ensuring that valuable metals can be reused and recycled with a commitment that no e-waste will ever end up in a landfill poisoning the environment. As a part of the Clean to Green campaign, RLG will seek to work with the electronic industry and corporates to address the issue of e-waste and enable successful implementation of Clean to Green in the country to safely dispose and recycle electronics.

Speaking at the launch, Global RLG CEO Mr. Patrick Wiedemann said “The number of electronic devices is rising around the world, thus requiring a solution on handling the defective and no longer in use products. At RLG we are committed to working towards creating a truly sustainable economy that works without waste, saves resources and is restorative by its circular design. India’s rapid economic growth is expected to intensify consumption and result in significantly higher generation of e-waste. In light of this, we are bringing global expertise in recycling, technical standards and e-waste management techniques to address the need of the hour through the ‘Clean to Green’ campaign.”

Commenting on the launch, Mrs. Radhika Kalia, Managing Director RLG India said, “Proper disposal and recycling of electronics is a national priority and the government has initiated a policy which showcases the seriousness of the issue. In alignment with the e-waste management rules initiated by the government of India, we are focused on working towards the betterment of the environment and the wellbeing of the society. We will leverage our highly innovative, comprehensive return management solutions, which enable manufacturers and distributors to actively drive product returns and thus facilitate multiple cycles of use.”

A key element of this campaign will be the focus on creating large scale awareness in society through the ‘I Agree – Clean to Green’ pledge in India. During the launch, RLG will encourage 50 RWAs, 20 schools and 5 offices in Delhi NCR as a pilot project to be an active part of their ‘I Agree – Clean to Green’ Pledge and help sensitize them about the importance of responsible disposal of electronics for a healthy environment. RLG will further scale up and take the campaign to 10 cities between 2018-19. The pledge will also be extended to modern trade centers. The company will create awareness about the importance of responsible electronic disposal through organized awareness drives in and around retail stores and RWAs and Clean to Green Clubs in schools where students will act as evangelists to spread awareness and sensitize children.

RLG is well poised to tackle the problem of e-wastage in India with standardized management and operational processes which include 31 collection points & warehouses, 7 dismantling facilities, 4 R2 certified recycling facilities. RLG India has also partnered with licensed hazardous waste treatment centers in India that meet its stringent health, safety and environmental standards. All partners undergo an approval process and their downstream processing chain is continuously reviewed to ensure that all materials are properly processed and recycled. The campaign tracks the mass flow of all materials collected and processed through a specially developed IT-based mass flow management system. In addition to return and disposal services, RLG’s services include reporting to the relevant authorities.