A red carpet to developed nations for dumping

Under the disguise of trade, India is laying the red carpet for developed nations to dump their used and recycled goods.

India has been importing used materials such as batteries, wires, personal computers, as well as plastics, asbestos, incinerator ash, steel and copper scrap, chemicals, etc worth crores and these imports have only grown in the last six to seven years.

A right to information (RTI) filed by Pune-based environmental group, Kalpavriksh reveals the amount of scrap and hazardous materials entering India in the last few years (see table). The replies were given by the Directorate General of Commercial Intelligence and Statistics, Kolkata, which is under the commerce ministry.

The imports are mainly from the US, Japan, and the European Union (EU).

Ashish Kothari of Kalpavriksh said these imports are a result of economic globalisation policies that emphasises an export-import driven economy rather than self-sufficiency. “Anything that helps corporations make money is deemed legitimate, regardless of health, environmental and other impacts. Some wastes are highly hazardous, causing air and water pollution and have long-term impacts on soil, wildlife, and livestock.”

Gopal Krishna, convenor, Toxics Watch, an environmental body, said as long as materials are considered recycled, they can be imported. “Incidents like the cobalt radiation in Mayapuri in Delhi where people fall victim don’t seem to deter anybody. Waste goods provide a cheap source of raw materials and hence continue to get imported.”

Iron and steel scrap is recycled to produce secondary steel, whereas other metals such as nickel, zinc, etc can be recovered from their respective scraps. Electronic goods can also be used to retrieve metals such as copper.

Kothari said Western countries have a strong environmental movement that refuses to allow waste dumping into their own backyards. “So companies are always looking for gullible countries to absorb this waste.”

According to Ravi Agarwal, director, Toxics Links, an environment NGO, terms such as ‘non-new goods’ are often used to facilitate easier entry and acceptance of hazardous and waste materials.
Experts say the free trade agreements (FTAs) that India is very keen on concluding with the EU and Japan, would further facilitate trade of waste into India.

Apprehensions are rife that by including wastes such used electronic devices, oil contaminated products, medical waste, incinerator ash and waste from chemical industries, in the list of goods enjoying preferential tariffs, waste traders would get free play.

Provisions in the India-EU FTA talk about ‘non-new goods’, and say that neither party shall apply to non-new goods, measures, including enforcement measures, which are more restrictive than to new goods.

The India-Japan FTA talks about easier access to scrap and waste derived from manufacturing, mining, agriculture, incineration, sewage treatment operations, say sources.
Krishna said that trade talks should have no place for trading of non-new goods or recycled materials. “If India gives in to these provisions in the FTAs, imports of hazardous materials will only further increase and cause havoc.”