Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), the National Standards Body of India under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Government of India, organized a ‘Manak Manthan’ on “E-Waste Management — Guidelines” at the BIS Chennai Branch Office, Chennai, on 30 July 2026, bringing together stakeholders, including representatives from manufacturing industries and other sectors associated with the management of electrical and electronic equipment and e-waste. The programme focused on creating awareness and facilitating stakeholder interaction on IS 17862:2026, E-Waste Management — Guidelines (First Revision), which provides guidelines covering the storage, collection, refurbishing, dismantling and recycling of e-waste.
Welcoming the participants and outlining the objectives of the programme, Shri Muninarayana R, Scientist–E / Director, BIS Chennai Branch Office, highlighted the significance of stakeholder participation in the standardization process. He stated that ‘Manak Manthan’ serves as an important platform for direct interaction with stakeholders, enabling manufacturers, users of standards and other relevant stakeholders to discuss Indian Standards, share practical experiences and provide feedback. Such stakeholder inputs and feedback are important in ensuring that standards remain responsive to technological developments, industry requirements and practical challenges in implementation. BIS, through the Manak Manthan initiative, seeks to bridge the gap between standards development and their practical adoption by taking the standardization process closer to stakeholders.
A detailed discussion on “E-Waste Management — Guidelines” was conducted by Shri Hitesh Yadav, Scientist–C / Deputy Director, BIS Chennai Branch Office. The session covered key provisions of IS 17862:2026, which is the first revision of the standard originally published in 2022. The revised standard takes into account developments in regulatory requirements and recycling technologies and includes provisions relating to e-waste storage, collection, refurbishing, dismantling and recycling, along with advanced recycling and pollution-control processes. The standard also emphasizes environmentally sound management and implementation in conjunction with relevant notifications of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) and the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
The participants were sensitized on the responsibilities of producers and other stakeholders across the e-waste management chain. The standard calls for producers, manufacturers, Producer Responsibility Organizations (PROs), refurbishers, dismantlers and recyclers to establish appropriate systems for environmentally sound storage, collection, transportation, dismantling and recycling. It also advises e-waste generators, including bulk consumers, e-retailers, large retail chains, manufacturers and service centres, to ensure that e-waste is channelized only to authorized refurbishers or recyclers and that appropriate records are maintained.
The standard further emphasizes that recycling facilities should maintain safe and documented processes, appropriate pollution-control equipment, trained and competent personnel and suitable personal protective equipment. It also provides for maintaining records of e-waste generated, stored, collected, refurbished, dismantled, recycled and finally disposed of, with relevant data aligned with the requirements of the CPCB’s EPR portal.
A session on General Awareness on BIS Activities and the BIS Care App was also conducted, familiarizing participants with BIS initiatives, standards-related services and the role of consumers and stakeholders in promoting quality and standardization.
The programme concluded with an interactive Open House and feedback session, providing participants an opportunity to interact with BIS officials, seek clarifications and share their views and practical inputs on e-waste management and the implementation of relevant standards. The programme reaffirmed BIS Chennai’s commitment to strengthening stakeholder engagement, promoting awareness of Indian Standards and encouraging environmentally sound practices in emerging and critical areas such as e-waste management.