Page 31 - 2016 Integrated management and disposal of electrical and electronic waste and used electrical and electronic equipment in Latin America

COMEX oversees the number of normal and additional cell phones imported. In that regulatory framework, the
MEE sends COMEX data (based on data declarations), which COMEX uses to calculate the number of additional
units to import over the normal import quota, taking the rate of 2.5 to 1 as a parameter, or alternatively 5:2, which
means that for every five managed cell phones, the importer may bring in two pieces of equipment above the
normal import quota.
As a result, between July 2013 and December 2014, 587,732 cell phone units were collected, which were delivered
to managers for the separation of components, dismantling and export.
With this regulation, the country pursues its mandate to:

• Comply with the provisions of Articles 396 and 397 paragraph 3 of the Constitution of the Republic of
Ecuador;

• Strengthen the country’s environmentally sound management of hazardous and special wastes to combat
pollution to the environment; and

• Strengthen the changing behaviour patterns of consumers, importers and manufacturers, guiding them to
take more responsibility for the quality of the products they respectively consume, import and manufacture
and to make them responsible for waste management in conjunction with the state.
In general terms, any person or company that generates e-waste has to deliver it to the authorized operators.
Currently, the country’s management companies reach the stage of primary dismantling and subsequent export of
the components, which is subject to the Basel Convention. At the moment, there are nine managers who have an
environmental permit for different stages of waste management (storage, transport and dismantling).
In 2015, the MEE was formulating a proposal concerning the technical standard for the implementation of EPR for
obsolete EEE. These instructions shall elaborate on the management responsibility of manufacturers or importers,
and as in other post-consumer policies, it will also establish an annual collection target for the country.
In turn, the country will participate as a part of the UNIDO Regional Project of E-waste Management in Latin
America.

4.7 Paraguay

Paraguay does not have a specific law on e-waste; however, in its
constitution, there are several items that protect the right to a protected
environment and other related rights. There are issues related to protecting
the environment in the following articles: "the Quality of Life" (Article 6),
"the Right to a Healthy Environment" (Article 7), "Environmental
Protection" (Article 8) and "the Right to Health" (Article 68).

Moreover, there are several laws, such as No. 1.561/2000 that establish the
National Environmental System, the National Environment Council and the
Ministry of Environment. These government agencies coordinate all matters
relating to the definition, monitoring and evaluation of environmental policies.

Law No. 42/90 prohibits the import, storage and use of industrial wastes considered hazardous or toxic, and it
establishes penalties for non-compliance. Paraguay also has Law No. 294/93 in its environmental regulatory
framework along with its corresponding regulatory decree that mandates the completion of an impact assessment
prior to all types of human activities that could potentially affect the environment.
The country has enacted the Solid Waste Act and Law No. 3956 (Gestión integral de los residuos solidos en la
República del Paraguay/ Integral management of solid waste in the Republic of Paraguay), in which the
Environment Secretariat was appointed as the country’s enforcement authority. The Paraguayan Penal Code
entered into force in 1997, by Law No. 1.160/97, which defines and punishes crimes affecting the environment.
The Public Ministry created a special unit on crimes against the environment to ensure compliance with current
legislation.
At the international level, the Basel Convention was adopted by the Republic of Paraguay by Law No. 567 of 1995.

Sustainable management of waste electrical and electronic equipment in Latin America 21