Sri Vijaya Puram, July 15: The Andaman & Nicobar Pollution Control Committee (ANPCC) has issued an advisory to all residents, institutions, and commercial establishments regarding the proper handling and disposal of electronic waste (e-waste) in accordance with the provisions of the E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2022, notified by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India.
Consequently, all e-waste generated in the territory needs to be collected through approved channels and transported to authorized treatment, storage, and disposal facilities located in the mainland. This process shall be regulated under the manifest system as prescribed in E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2022 to ensure transparency and traceability.
In light of this, bulk consumers, Government Departments, institutions and businesses operating in A&N Islands must ensure they engage only with EPR-compliant producers and collection agencies, and should not rely on unregistered service providers or unauthorized handlers for disposal of electronic waste.
The public is encouraged to actively support enforcement by reporting any instances of illegal e-waste processing, dismantling, or refurbishing to the ANPCC. Informal collection, dismantling, refurbishing, or recycling of e-waste is strictly prohibited and constitutes a violation of environmental regulations. Additionally, manufacturers, producers, refurbishers, and recyclers are required to register on the Central Pollution Control Board EPR Portal and fulfill their annual targets for e-waste collection and environmentally sound recycling.
The ANPCC has urged all stakeholders to strictly adhere to the prescribed e-waste guidelines—emphasizing that improper handling can lead to soil contamination, air pollution, and damage to aquatic ecosystems. Community vigilance, alongside consistent compliance by bulk consumers and producers, is essential for effective and sustainable e-waste management. Such collective action is vital to safeguard the fragile and irreplaceable environmental heritage of the Andaman & Nicobar Islands.