ABSTRACT
The evolution of the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) has taken place in the broader context of sustainable development, which largely focuses on healthy and safe environment, especially the ‘polluter pays’ principle. EPR’s wider acceptance across the globe as a concept, a strategy, a legislative tool/policy instrument, a programme for legal compliance, and a path to business opportunities for attaining different goals.
The chapter begins by describing evolution of concept of EPR and describes how it was evolved for waste management and now extended for e-waste management including its goals, implementation, and challenges. It then provides comprehensive overview on the EPR being implemented for e-waste management under the existing regulatory frameworks in different countries. Further, it discusses eight key considerations for successful implementation of EPR, challenges in implementation of EPR, and impact of EPR as least explored area for e-waste management. Towards end, India specific details are covered; EPR and legislative framework for e-waste management, experiences and learnings of takeback campaign by Nokia in 2009 and 2012, and effectiveness of EPR post-rules, 2011 in India wherein role and responsibilities of producers are examined.
