An investigation into e-waste flows in India

Abstract

Reverse supply chains that characterize reuse and recycling remains the primary focus of large businesses in a globalized economy. This article critically examines the environmental and social benefits of reuse that would result through systematic interventions in the existing WEEE trade chain in India. There exists an increasing body of scientific evidence documenting the deleterious effects of informal recycling in India. Though formal recycling remains the focus of existing e-waste management systems in developed nations, we argue that alternative systems should be explored by making reuse as a policy instrument through appropriate interventions in the existing disposal practices found in developing nations. We show that prompt reselling of WEEE to other users can potentially go a long way in increasing their lifespan. The study uses a Markov chain model to analyze the underlying relationship that exist within the reverse supply chain partners by quantitatively evaluating the performance measure of different policy scenarios. Finally we discuss the critical factors affecting the reuse business in the context of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR).