'Clean to Green': The Only Way Forward through Reverse Logistics

Focusing on spreading mass awareness and sensitizing consumers and MSMEs on how and where to dispose electronics in a responsible manner,  Reverse Logistics Group (RLG) India, a leading global service provider of comprehensive reverse logistics solutions announced the launch of its flagship campaign ‘Clean to Green’ in India. The campaign has been launched in compliance with the stringent E-waste management rules which are set to come into effect in India and will seek to minimise the impact of substandard ways of e-waste disposal on the environment.

On the eve of the Clean to Green launch, RLG organised an enriching panel discussion on ‘Reimagining E-waste: Creating sustainable solutions for India.’ The panel discussion with experts was aimed at analysing 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. The co-panelists for this discussion included Manoj Kumar Gangeya, Director HSMD, MoEF; Dr. Sandip Chaterjee, Director Sc. F & OSD to Secy. MeitY : Anand Kumar, Sc. E & Divisional  Head, Central Pollution Control Board; Anwar Shirpurwala, Executive Director, MAIT; Satish Sinha (Moderator), Associate Director, Toxics Link; Dr. Deepali Sinha, Managing Director, Sofies Group; Shahabuddin Shakir Ali Baig, Director H.A.U Traders. The discussion was moderated by Satish Sinha, Associate Director at Toxics Link.  Dr. Lakshmi Raghupathy, Adviser, MAIT concluded the event with the closing remarks.

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 18 lakh metric tons (MT) of e-waste is generated in India every year, which is estimated to grow up to 52 lakh (MT) by 2020. Electronics contain multitude of valuable recoverable materials such as gold, aluminuim and copper as well as hazardous materials such as lead, mercury and cadmium. Proper and safe recycling of electronic waste not only keeps harmful toxins from polluting the air, soil, and water, but also reduces energy and water use associated with manufacturing new materials.

RLG India will manage and operate the Producer’s Responsibility Organization “Clean to Green’’ on behalf of producers to offer them a sustainable, reliable and efficient option to comply with their extended producer obligations. The specialized processes are completely funded by producers to enable consumers to recycle their electronic products free of charge.

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.  RLG will channelize e-waste, arranging for direct pickup and processing, ensuring that valuable metals can be reused and recycled for future electronics with a commitment that no e-waste will ever end up in a landfill poisoning the environment.

Speaking at the launch, Mr. Patrick Wiedemann, Global CEO, RLG said “The electronic consumption is rising around the world, thus requiring a solution on handling the defective and no longer in use electronics. 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 of Clean to Green in India, Ms. 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 focussed 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 centres. The company will create awareness about the importance of responsible electronic disposal through organised 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.

With a presence across 4 continents 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 centres 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.

The company is committed to becoming an acknowledged contributor to India’s prosperity, healthy society and environment by providing a professional collection and recycling system for discarded electronic products.