The Hindu 15.04.2013
e-waste disposal to be streamlined
e-waste generation is estimated to be higher in Hyderabad, Delhi, Mumbai and Ahmedabad.-File Photo: Mohammed Yousuf
There appears to be an end in sight for the threat posed by e-waste, resulting from obsolete electronic gadgets in the city.
Hyderabad has been included in the Clean E-India programme for responsible collection and recycling of e-waste being jointly launched by the World Bank’s arm International Finance Corporation and Attero Recycling. The city is among the four cities, the other three being Delhi, Mumbai and Ahmedabad where e-waste generation is estimated to be higher.
The initiative comes in the light of alarming rise in e-waste generation in major cities across the country from 1.46 lakh tonne in 2005 to around 8 lakh tonne at present and growing. A United Nations report projects that by 2020, e-waste from computers would dramatically increase by 500 percent in India and that from discarded mobile phones will increase 18 times from the 2007 levels.
Attero chief operating officer Rohan Gupta says even if Hyderabad accounted for a meagre two per cent to the projected national figures, it would contribute about 15,000 tonne of e-waste. “Estimates, however, point that the city accounts to close to 25,000 tonne of e-waste. AP Pollution Control Board has a project for inventorisation of e-waste with assistance from the World Bank,” he told The Hindu .
Attero saw a business opportunity in the project in that it will secure huge quantum of material for recycling and processing that could generate good amount of metal and other elements of commercial proposition. “More material we process, the more metal we can extract from the waste,” he said.
E-wastes in cities like Hyderabad are set to increase due to high obsolescence rates, lack of policy for disposal covering consumers, manufacturers and other stakeholders. Presently, informal workers collect, dispose and recycle major portion of e-waste, but the system has not been proven effective as they are not properly trained to handle the material.
Attero would, accordingly, set up collection centres in the city and employ collectors who will secure obsolete material from users and give it to it. The company will, in turn, process the material with its patented technology. “The collection centres will start functioning probably by next month-end,” Mr. Gupta said. Attero feels the tie-up with IFC will ensure that its patented technology involving safe recycling of e-wastes would get international acceptance .
Hyderabad has been included in the Clean E-India programme for responsible collection and recycling of e-waste.
