MMRDA to set up e-waste facility at Bhiwandi

The MMRDA on Wednesday invited bids from reputed Indian and international players to develop an integrated e-waste processing facility at Mankoli, Bhiwandi, on a Public-Private Partnership module. An experienced company or a joint-venture – capable of setting up and operating such a facility – would be awarded the management of the proposed integrated e-waste processing facility for a period of twenty years.

“While enjoying the growth of electronic industry and celebrating the minute-to-minute innovation in the form of newer and newer range of products, consequent hazards that endanger environment are lost sight of. The growth should and must be proportionate to the environmental demands. However, the efforts to maintain this balance and control the damage are not organised”, said Ashwini Bhide, Additional Metropolitan Commissioner, MMRDA.

The present scenario is threatening, to say the least. The State of Maharashtra tops the list of States generating e-waste. Maharashtra generates e-waste to the tune of 20,270 tonnes annually and the city of Mumbai generates 11,017 tonnes of e-waste every year.

 E-waste (Electrical and Electronic Equipment Waste) includes  discarded, obsolete electrical, electronic equipment, wastes originating from household appliances.