Electronic Waste or E-Waste is loosely applied to consumer and business electronic equipment that is near or at the end of its useful life. Anything that can be plugged and has a wire constitutes e-waste, basically the end of electronic equipment. It mainly consists of obsolete devices like CDs, DVDs, Computers, Laptops, Mobile Phones, and Floppies etc.
This new form of waste is one of the fastest growing waste streams around the world and is considered to be highly hazardous.
Electronic Waste is estimated to reach 8.00 Lakh MT by 2012 in India. Maharashtra, Tamilnadu, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Delhi, Karnataka, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Punjab are top ten E-Waste producing states in the country. The highest being 23 thousand tonnes and lowest being 7 thousand tonnes, out of which only 5% of E-Waste has been recycled by Urban Slums which employs 25 thousand workers and are exposed to hazards of traditional recycling process.
Out of 30 million installed computers in India, 80% are desktops which soon become obsolete due to wide availability of inexpensive laptops and net tops. India has 500 million mobile phones, which are replaced every 18 months on an average, which means more than 250 mobile phones constitutes the part of e-waste in India. CRT Monitors also flood the waste market, as more than 50% of them will be replaced by Flat screens, LCDs and LEDs. All that will also add to the E-Waste.
How E-Waste is handled in India? And it’s Impact?
- E-Waste contains hazardous but also valuable and scarce materials.
- 90% of e-waste is still handled in the informal sector
- Release of toxins into environment
- Loss of natural resources due to low recovery of materials
- Health impact to workers
- Loss of revenue to state as these recycling centres are not covered under any regulation
- Disproportionate sharing of profits
- “Cherry-Picking”-only valuable waste is recycled while less valuable waste is dumped and causes pollution
What is the way out?
Recycling raw materials from end-of-life electronics is the most effective solution to the growing e-waste problem. Most electronic devices contain a variety of materials, including metals that can be recovered for future uses. By dismantling and providing reuse possibilities, intact natural resources are conserved and air and water pollution caused by hazardous disposal is avoided. Additionally, recycling reduces the amount of greenhouse gas emissions caused by the manufacturing of new products.
Attero Recycling is India’s first and only end to end e-waste recycler. Since its inception Attero has been the torch bearer for burgeoning problem, taking the responsibility to move forward unhesitatingly and accomplish what needs to be done to conserve the earth, by looking beyond short term convenience. Attero e-cycles and gives the obsolete electrical equipments a new life, saving the earth form the extinction of rare metals and protect all that is life sustaining from hazardous and toxic emissions.
