Friday, August 30, 2013: According to ASSOCHAM’s recent study on ‘E-waste in India by 2015,’ India’s capital cities will possibly generate e-waste of about 50,000 metric tonnes annually by the year 2015 from the existing level of 30,000 metric tonnes annually.
The e-waste is growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of about 25 per cent. Moreover, the study focuses on the fact that even if Mumbai and Chennai are the biggest importers of junk computers and electronic waste in India, it is Delhi that has become the main hub of e-waste recycling in India and maybe the world. The reason behind e-waste from Mumbai, Bengaluru and Chennai is brought to Delhi is that there is a ready market for glass and plastic in the NCR region.
Every day around 1,500 tonnes of discarded electronics waste from Mumbai makes its way to Delhi’s scrap yards. Big e-waste centres are functional in Delhi-NCR, Meerut, Ferozabad, Chennai, Bengaluru and Mumbai. Since these e-wastes pose a great health hazard, the Chamber is in support of bringing about an effective legislation to avoid entry of child labour for tasks such as collection, segregation and distribution. More than 35,000 to 45,000 children in the age group of 10 14 are found to be involved in such activities.
E-waste from PC monitors, PCBs, CDs, motherboards, cables, toner cartridges, light bulbs and tube-lights are burnt in the open that releases lead, mercury toxins into the air.
“Domestic e-waste including computer, TV, mobiles and refrigerators contain over 1,000 toxic material, which contaminate soil and ground water. Exposure can cause headache, irritability, nausea, vomiting, eye pain. Recyclers may suffer liver, kidney and neurological disorders”, said Dr. B K Rao, Chairman of ASSOCHAM Health Committee while releasing the ASSOCHAM paper, India Education Diary reported.
Electronics Bazaar, South Asia’s No.1 Electronics B2B magazine
