Being the IT hub of the country, the enormous amount of e-waste generated in Bengaluru doesn’t come as a surprise. However, many users are unaware about the proper disposal of e-waste and about the consequences of mishandling e-waste. As a way to deal with this, e-waste recycling organisations in Bengaluru have come up with many innovative solutions, which help in mitigating the environmental and health risks associated with the poor management of e-waste.
According to an article published by Indiatimes, our country generates about 2.5 million metric tonnes of e-waste annually, out of which only 1.5% gets recycled by the formal sector. It is also mentioned that the country sees an annual average growth rate of 30% in e-waste generation. The e-waste generation is expected to rise, given the change in consumer behaviour and technological advancements.
E-waste needs to be disposed of and recycled in an environment-friendly manner without causing any harm to the surroundings, as it is one of the most dangerous kinds of waste produced. This is where the e-waste management organisations of Bengaluru have stepped in to make a significant contribution.
Flower pots from e-waste
Rashi E-Waste Solutions is an e-waste management venture, which has produced the flower pots, in partnership with Sanjay Jangam, a retired Navy commander. This innovation has been produced by upcycling e-waste such as unwanted electric wires and leftovers of circuit boards. They are prepared without any emission of harmful gases or byproducts and are 100% recyclable, hence making it a valuable resource for the environment.
When it comes to treating e-waste, it is necessary to get authorisation from the government. But some of the licensed e-waste organisations state that more than three-fourths of the e-waste generated is being disposed of in an unscientific manner, without regard for environmental or ecological impact, by the workers like e-waste pickers and aggregators, who fall under the unorganised sector. When asked about this, Sanjay said, “E-waste generation is a serious problem affecting the whole nation, both environmentally and economically. People tend to burn e-waste as a method of disposal, which is highly inadvisable. It should be recycled with maximum precision and expertise. Additionally, technological progression in terms of recycling e-waste would be of high value to our country”.
On the other hand, the authorised e-waste recycling organisations are prescribed to collect, dispose and recycle e-waste according to the regulations put forth by the Karnataka Pollution Control Board and the Central Pollution Control Board. One such organisation is Eco-Birdd recycling, which is the first e-waste collection and recycling venture to fall under the formal sector of e-waste management. They have developed a sustainable model and have adopted latest technologies, in order to put e-waste to its best possible use. They also explained that their dismantling process involves the recovery of biologically active materials, hazardous metals, high grade metals, etc. The high grade metals and other metals are recovered under safe conditions and used for resale thereby reducing the overuse of mineral resources.
“It is absolutely essential to regulate e-waste and that requires participation from the customers as well. We engage in the process of collecting e-waste from households too, but some of them are reluctant. They should ensure that their e-waste is disposed of correctly, without causing harm to the environment. Moreover, they are in the habit of discarding e-waste along with general degradable waste, which is dangerous,” says Syed Faraz Ulla, the director of Eco-Birdd Recycling.
Selling e-waste by linking to e-trade
Recently, many organisations have been undertaking the process of linking e-waste management to e-trade by providing accessible platforms for people to sell e-waste. Eco eMarket is an online platform which engages in e-waste management by reaching to wholesale dealers, multinational corporations and individuals. They have encouraged common people to contribute, by setting up e-waste collection centres with compliance to government’s environmental objectives at various locations. Moreover, they have developed many strategies to update people and increase their awareness on the subject of e-waste disposal.