WEEE/E-waste Business Model - International Environmental ...

significantly. It shows that for waste white goods treatment and disposal, the
combination of incentives should be higher. Financial viability is also sensitive to price
fluctuations i.e. prices with respect to both input raw material as well as output. A
comparative analysis of financial analysis indicators shows that viability improves with
the improved capacity utilization. Capacity utilization depends upon the availability of the
raw material. In order to make the project more viable an efficient E-waste collection and
transportation system and a set of incentives like lower interest rate or duty exemption or
subsidy on land may be planned. These measures need to be implemented in the form
of a business model.
The key elements, which form the basis of development of business model include risk
profile of the project, financial viability of the project and consumer behavior. The major
risks of medium to high intensities, which have been identified, are given below.
1. Risks due to lack of definition of E-waste in existing regulations
2. Risks due to part inclusion of E-waste in existing Waste Rules
3. Risks due to lack of harmonization of E-waste in Export/ Import rules
4. Risks of availability of raw material
5. Risk associated with collection
6. Risk associated with competition
7. Type of raw material/ input to E-waste recycling system
8. Scale of operation
9. Expected yield/ output
10. Price Risks
Risks 1 to 3 are related to policy and regulatory level interventions. Risks 4 to 6, 10 are
related to market and logistics interventions. Risks 7 to 9 are related to technology level
interventions. Consumer behavior reflects the attitude of the consumer for E-waste
management. It has been well established that consumers want value of their E-waste
and may prefer exchange schemes where retailers offer them discounted price of the
brand new item in exchange of their old electrical and electronic equipment. The three
different types of E-waste business models, which can be implemented, are described
below.
1. Conventional E-waste Recycling Model
2. Public Private Partnership (PPP) based E-waste Business Model
3. Extended Producer Responsibility Based Business Model
The analysis of the above three models indicates that there are three mechanisms for Ewaste
management out of which two mechanisms are at extreme levels i.e. conventional
E-waste recycling model and EPR based business model. Strength, Weakness,
Opportunities and Threat (SWOT) analysis of these two extreme mechanisms has been
carried out to understand the applicability under the current business environment. The
common points, which can be inferred from this analysis, are given below.
1. Regulatory intervention is required in implementation of both the models.
2. Government participation will boost the implementation of both the models.
3. Potential of leakage exists in both the systems i.e. they are not foolproof
system. Though EPR system offers the potential of reduction of leakage of
waste to informal sector, it is also not 100% foolproof. The recent EU report
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