Manage e-Waste

Waste management, especially when it comes to plastic, has been given much attention over the years in the country. Still, somehow, the issue of e-waste, which is among the most dangerous kinds of waste- for it contains heavy metals and other toxic chemicals- remains insidious.

When we buy electronic gadgets, it’s not like we use them for years on end. With the faster advancements in technology, the life of gadgets has reduced to the bare minimum of may  be 2 to 3 years leading to a mounting pile of e-waste. e-Waste is any electronic waste that is no longer wanted. When we buy a new phone, we feel like may be the old one should go right into the trash, but wait before you do that. Old electronics are full of toxic stuff that should never make it to a landfill- like arsenic, lead and cadmium. If those materials make it into landfills, they can leak into our ecosystem, damaging plant and animal life, and potentially impacting our food supply.

According to data, 20 per cent of total e-waste around the world is properly recycled. Hence, it’s time we take a look at how e-waste is recycled so that we don’t make the environment any more toxic. In our country, to streamline e-waste management, the government notified Electronic Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 2011 that became effective in May- 2012. These rules are based on Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), which make manufacturers of electronic products responsible for the end-of-life management of their products. They are required to set up collection centres and ensure that the waste is recycled and disposed off in an environment-friendly manner. all these collection centres, dismantling units and recycles must register with state pollution control boars and comply with their norms. however, the ground reality is not the same.

Do you think twice before throwing those old mobile phones disposed properly, these may leak out into the environment and contaminate the water supply. First, find out the type of your battery whether it is lead acid, silver oxide, lithium ion etc. After identifying the type, find a local facility centre and drop them. In case of car batteries, return them to the dealership store before buying a replacement.

For every one million cell phones we recycle, we can recover 15,876 Kg of copper, 350 Kg of silver, 34 Kg. of gold, and 15 Kg of palladium. If you want, you can donate your phone or trade it when you are going to buy a new one. If not, find a local recycling unit or ask you dealer for more information. However, before you give your phone to a recycling unit, make sure you have erased all your personal information and data on it. This same procedure applies to laptops and computers as well. Consider donating them to charities if they’re in a usable condition, before you take the decision of recycling them. Remember, waste not trashed out in the environment today means a cleaner, greener tomorrow.

Matter referenced:

Times of India, Ahmedabad, Monday, 30th September, 2019.

By: Dr. Bhawana Asnani.

Happy to see Reviews, Additions, Suggestions and Comments, further.