Urban News

The Deccan Chronicle  26.08.2010

Waste importers make quick buck out of muck

In the last two years, two ports in Tamil Nadu received at least over 400 tonnes of garbage — e-waste, municipal waste, medical waste — from abroad. “It is possible that more such waste has reached the state. The figure we are referring to is the quantity seized by various agencies,” says a senior official from the directorate of revenue intelligence (DRI).

This is a relatively new trend. The exporting countries are offering good money to the Indian importers to take the e-waste out of their countries. This is because recycling such waste on their soil will be even more expensive, notes C. Rajan, additional director general, DRI.

In the last two years, 11 cases of garbage dumping were reported at Chennai and Tuticorin ports. The customs investigators detected six cases while five were registered by DRI.

According to the official, countries like Canada, Korea, Australia, the UAE and Maldives are the ones that send their garbage to India. “Most probably, Indian importers promise easy disposal of waste for a price and bring it home. In the last one week, DRI seized 127 tonnes of e-waste at Chennai port that had been declared as brand new computer parts,” he adds.

Indian agencies had once intercepted a consignment of 281 parcels of battery waste at Tuticorn port. The mindless importers are ready to bring in anything for a price.

Once the waste reaches Tamil Nadu, in most cases, the importers just burn it after initial segregation. “Dioxins formed during the burning of e-waste can be very dangerous to human health. Sometimes it can be as bad as the Bhopal gas tragedy,” says Mr Rajan.

Similarly, medical waste can be very unsafe as it brings all kinds of germs with it. Interestingly, there is no severe punishment for importing garbage as new products. “The importers will be asked to send back the waste to the country of origin within 90 days. Apart from that, a fine will be levied. That is all,” says a customs official.

The Deccan Chronicle  26.08.2010

The e-waste land

City spews 30K tonnes of e-waste per annum

The IT revolution in Tamil Nadu, particularly in Chennai, has created an additional burden for the civic authorities. The e-waste generation in the city is on a rise due to the enhanced usage of computers and latest electronic devices and there is no proper scientific mechanism to treat e-waste.

A recent study by the city corporation revealed that Chennai generates about 14,000 tonnes of e-waste from faulty computers and hardware. For the fiscal 2008-09, the waste generated through compact disc (CDs) and tapes was estimated to be around 2,800 tonnes, while mobile phones generated a solid waste of 47 tonnes during this period.

It is approximately estimated that Chennai generates about 30,000 tonnes of e-waste annually. “The city corporation will soon identify a private firm to handle the e-waste generated from Chennai. The corporation council will discuss this issue shortly,” corporation commissioner Rajesh Lakhoni said. Only a few private firms handle e-waste and they sell the parts that can be reused. In future, the civic body will also have an e-waste management policy, the commissioner added.

According to Ripon Buildings sources, the treatment of e-waste will be taken up on a scientific basis. The private firm will procure the e-waste from the corporation and after dismantling the electronic structures it can re-sell the products. Besides, some dismantled parts should be segregated and shredded before undergoing special treatment.

The special treatment will also include electromagnetic separation; Eddy current separation and density separation using water has also to be undertaken. The process has to be scientifically dealt with as the ferrous, non-ferrous metals and plastics have to be removed.

The civic body has engaged a private consultant for selection of a private developer for implementing e-waste management. The flourishing Chennai IT industrial belt is one of the electronic hubs of the country producing enormous amounts of e-waste and this waste has to be treated as per the ‘The Hazardous Waste Management Rules, 2003’, the corporation sources added.

With no stringent rules to stop import and dumping of e-waste and municipal garbage in India from abroad, the country seems to be turning into an easy dump yard of rubbish from other countries. This poses a major health hazard to the people.