TIt’s the sort of thing that could pollute the soil and cause illness. So please don’t disposee-waste as you might other household waste. The Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) has now made provision for better disposal of e-waste in the country’s software hub.
Working in tandem with city NGOs, the KSPCB has installed special receptacles to collect the city’s e-waste. The KSPCB office at Church Street, BDA complex, Jayanagar 4th block, MS Building, Central Library, RT Nagar and Malleswaram, Central College, Maharani Arts College, Maharani Science College, UVCE, Government Degree College, Vijayanagar and Chitrakala Parishath will serve as locations for collection of such waste.
KSPCB will be putting up collection points for the waste in 130 private campuses too. Educational institutions, IT companies, private locations and bulk consumers and producers of e-waste will benefit. The waste will be collected once a week.
The KSPCB has chosen seven NGOs for the disposal of the waste: Ash Recyclers, e-Parisara, Nishat Tech, E-ward, KG Nandi, Terafirma and Saahas. Speaking to DNA, Padma Sastry from the NGO Saahas said that proper disposal of e-waste would aid in reducing environmental pollution. This could only be done through collective effort, said Sastry. Bangalore generates nearly 6000 tons of e-waste each year. Nearly 4 lakh dry cell batteries alone are collected every month, but there is no proper disposal mechanism for these. The state as a whole generates 10,000 tonnes of e-waste each year. KSPCB chairman AS Sadashivaiah said, “With the help of NGOs, the waste can be collected and disposed scientifically.”
Sadashivaiah expressed concern over the heavy chemical content that could irreversibly damage the environment: “E-waste releases mercury, lead, cadmium, barium, copper and other heavy metals. Ideally, the task of collecting and segregating such waste should be performed by the Corporation. To begin with, the pollution control board will take up the work and tie with the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) for collection and scientific disposal. We are also in talks with schools and colleges, so that such waste could be handed over to NGOs from such institutions,” Sadashivaiah said.All electrical or electronic goods that go kaput leave e-waste: batteries, CDs, computers, appliances or mobile phones.
Why is e-waste a problem?
If e-waste is burnt, the toxic gases that are emitted could cause cancer in the skin and also respiratory ailments. Left to decompose, the chemicals in these substances could trigger changes in the soil that adversely affect plant life. Water too is polluted.
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