Recent Status of E-waste Management in

1
Nepal

Dr. Jyoti Giri

E-mail: girijys@yahoo.com

Assistant Professor Treasurer Executive Member

Tri-Chandra Multiple Campus, Nepal Polymer Institute, Women Scientist Forum, Nepal,
Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, Nepal Nepal Academy of Science and Technology (NAST)
Ghantaghar, Kathmandu, Nepal
2
Outline

 Background
 E-waste Production/Burden
 Constituents of E-waste
 Challenges and Opportunities
 Ongoing activities
 Impacts on Economy
 Sustainable E-waste Management
 Acknowledgements
 Background
3

E-wastes have become

a SERIOUS problem in
Nepal
 Background
4

https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/what-will-nepal-do-with-its-E-waste/
 Background
5

The Global E-waste Monitor (GEM) 2020 shows that e-waste has grown to
53.6 million metric tons annually. i.e.7.3 kg per capita

The annual production of 28000 tons of E-waste in 2019 according to GEM

2020 with a growth rate of 7 % year on year.

But only ~20 % of the E-waste generated is documented to be collected

and recycled

 Nepal is also following the same trend-line

 Background
6
 7
E-waste Production/Burden
Population (2020): 29.14 million

Municipal/Urban @ 40%: 11.7 million

Waste Generation @ 0.48 kg/day: 3500 ton/day

Cost of collection and dumping: US$ 30 /ton

8
E-waste Production/Burden
E-waste generation in 2016 in Kathmandu valley, household waste

https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/what-will-nepal-do-with-its-E-waste/
 9
E-waste Production/Burden
Kilotonnes /year Top 10 E-waste generators Kilotonnes /year,person

 China 7,211  Norway 29

 US 6,205  UK 25
 Japan 2,139  Denmark 25
 India 1,975  Netherlands 24
 Germany 1,884  Australia 24
 UK 1,632  Germany 23
 Brazil 1,534  Iceland 23
 Russia 1,392  Switzerland 22
 France 1,373  Sweden 21
 Indonesia 1,274  France 21

https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/what-will-nepal-do-with-its-E-waste/
 10
E-waste Production/Burden

Plateform for accelerating the Circular Economy (PACE), World Economic forum (WEF). A New Circular vision for electronic : Time for a Global Reboot. In collaboration with the United Nations E-waste Coaliation
January 2019
 11
Constituents of E-waste
Major Parts

Metals
Polymer and polymer composites

Valuable metals Rare Earth metals

 Gold (Au)  Copper (Cu)  Gallium (Ga)
 Silver (Ag)  Zinc (Zn)  Indium (In)
 Platinum (Pt)  Aluminium (Al)  Yttrium (Yt)
 Lead (Pb)  Nickel (Ni)  Neodymium (Nd)
 Cadminum (Cd)  Chromium (Cr), etc.,  etc.,
12
Challenges and Opportunities

Challenges Opportunities

 Lead acid battery  Gold, silver, platinum

 Lithium ion battery  Rare earth metals

 Printed circuit board  Goldmines in trash

 Challenges and Opportunity
13

 Land locked country, no access to sea

 Signatory of Basel Convention

 Lack of legislation for E-waste

 Lack of policy from government to bring private sector in E-waste
recycling
 Lack of recycling technology/ Infrastructure
 Informal sector involved in E-waste collection and disposal rely on
illegal channels to India
 Ongoing Activities
14

 Municipality

 Solid waste management Association Nepal (SWMAN)

 DOKO recyclers

 Blues Waste

 Universities (Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu University)

 Solid Waste Management Act 2011, Industrial and Hazardous Wastes

 Ongoing Activities
15

 Dismantling, Cherry picking

 Scavengers, Hawkers, Scarp Dealers

 Trade to India (No custom )

 Dumped in landfill, Okkharpauwa/ Banchare Dada

 Ongoing Activities
16

Landfill
Stake-holders of E-waste site
S
c
House hold Solid
consumers waste a
Transfer/
hauling r Exported to
Repair shop station p India for
recycling
Industry, Auction
Business houses, Y
Institutions Recyclable
waste a
Scrap r
hawkers
d
Reusable materials

Schematic chart showing different recycling patterns of solid wastes in Kathmandu valley

J. Giri, R. Adhikari. Urgency of Proper E-wastes Management Plan in Nepal: An Overview. NJST. 2020, 19, 107-118. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3126/njst.v19i1.29790
 Ongoing Activities
17

 In Doko Recyclers ,

 E-waste Collections

 Dismantling, selection of useful parts for reuse and

redesign

 Bulb – eater for mercury tubes to separate mercury

and other toxic gases from glass (Crowd funding)
 Ongoing Activities
18

Name of Technique used Metal extraction Source

researcher
Hemraj Joshi Ongoing Gold, Silver, Copper Smart phone, Samsung
(M.Sc) & rare elements
Amrit Neupane Green extraction Gold Mother board of laptop
(B.Sc)
Ripesh Acharya Group Separation method zinc Smart phone Samsung
(B.Sc)

Rachana Gautam Coating on glass tube Silver Smart phone Samsung

(B.Sc) (Fehling's Method)

Sangeeta Aryal Precipitation method Copper Smart phone Samsung

(B.Sc)

Prapti Chemical and Physical Indium LED Screen

Shrestha(+2)
19
Research Ongoing
 20
Survey on E-waste
Total Respondent : 453
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1q9D37M4rCbcwDcynhEPGhH0FKJdXiRDh5TC8Ql2Yekw/edit
21
Literacy on E-waste

Questions Yes (%) No (%)

Do you know about E-waste? 63 37
Do you know Environmental Impact of E-waste? 82 16 2
Do you separate E-waste from other SW? 76 24
Are you satisfied with current handling of E-waste? 41 56 3
Who is responsible for E-waste Management? Mixed

45 All, 28 Government, 3 manufacture, mixed answer, such as

NGO, ownselves, no one…. Very confusing
22
Awareness Campaigns

E-waste awareness campaign in

CAN-Infotech, 2019
 23
Awareness Campaigns

E-waste awareness campaign

in CAN-Infotech, 2020,
24
Impacts on Economy
 Mobile Import in first 7 months in fiscal year 2075/76 , 12 Arba 62 Crore 2
Lakh and 93 Thousand, according to TIA Custom Office
 26 lakh 86 thousand 6 hundred 48 , phones were imported : 2 arba 2 lakh
more than last year
 Arrived mobiles from 75 countries
 From china only 8658855 mobile sets were imported in 2075-76
 Government allow only 2 mobiles/ passenger to carry rest become taxful
 Revenue collection only in TIA is 6 arba 54 crore 8 lakh 63 thousand 8
hundred 84 collected as excess duty and vat on mobile import in 2075-76
https://ictframe.com/import-of-mobile-phones-in-nepal-increased-recently/
Sustainable E-waste Management Practice
25
Sustainable E-waste Management Practice
26

Producers/ Industries

Consumers Academia Recyclers

Waste management
Sustainable E-waste Management Practice
27

Basic 7 Rs Principles of Waste management

Reduce Consuming only the goods we need

Recycle Sending waste to be re-manufactured
Reuse Action or practice of using again
Refuse Avoid products that are not sustainable
Rethink To think how you can re-use products
Repair To repair products rather than buying new one
Repurpose To reuse into a new product
Sustainable E-waste Management Practice
28

Short Term Mid Term Long Term

Collections Research on recovery Shrerdder,
Segregation, dismantal Small tools and set up Two shaft
Follow 7R Out sourcing to manage Recycled grinded
palletizer machine
Awareness Policy
Encourage for safe Strick regulations
disposal user
Producer responsibility
Sustainable E-waste Management Practice
29

Separation of waste

Leaching out valuable metals

biodegradable
Reusable Recyclable
Non-biodegradable
Composting
Recycling /
Landfill/ Research Lab Secondary Recovery
Incineration for zero waste consumers Industries
 Sustainable E-waste Management Practice
30

China Policy for E-waste Management

300
❑ Producer’s responsibility 250

200
❑ Consumer’s Responsibility 150
Sell to second hand market

Count
100
❑Personnel Responsibility
Sell to peddlers
50

0
❑Governmental Responsibility Deliver to professional
recycling center
(Policy, Act, Management,
Ask specialized collectors to
Implementation etc.,) Pay in Pay Deposit
reclaim at home
advance afterward system

Payment style
31
Acknowledgements
 Prof. Dr. Rameshwar Adhikari, Former Executive Director, RECAST, T.U.

 Former Science and Technology Minister Er. Ganesh Shah for encouragement to
research in this dimension

 Mr. Gunaraj Dhakal, Mr. Purna Ranjitkar, RECON,

 Prof. Dr. Nawaraj Khatiwada, Dr. Jaya Kumar Gurung, NDRI

 Mr. Pankaj Panjiyaar, Doko recyclers

 My research group

 NTA, Mr. Min Prasad Aryal, Nepal Polymer Institute

32