The Hindu Business Line : TN Govt preparing policy on managing e-waste

Chennai, Sept. 25 Tamil Nadu is preparing a policy on handling electronic waste (e-waste), providing guidelines to manufacturers on managing e-waste, right from origin to destination, according to State IT secretary, Dr C. Chandramouli.

The Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board is preparing the policy and two rounds of talks were over with stakeholders, including manufacturers, he told newspersons on the sidelines of a national workshop on awareness and consultation on “Guidelines for Environmentally Sound Management of e-waste” organised by the Manufacturers Association for Information Technology (MAIT). He requested MAIT to help the State in preparing the policy.

A recent MAIT-GTZ study says that India generates around 4 lakh tonnes of e-waste every year and by 2011, it is estimated to increase to 4.70 lakh tonnes. E-waste comprises wastes generated from used electronic devices and household appliances not fit for original intended use and are destined for recovery, recycling or disposal. It contains over 1,000 different substances, including those that are toxic and potentially hazardous to the environment and human health.

Tamil Nadu is ranked second, after Maharashtra, in the list of e-waste-generating States in India. Ten States generate 70 per cent of the total e-waste generated in India. There are only two e-waste dismantling facilities functioning, one each in Chennai and Bangalore.

The entire recycling process exists in the unorganised sector, according to the “Guidelines for Environmentally Sound Management of e-waste” prepared by the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests and Central Pollution Control Board.

In his inaugural address at the workshop, Dr Chandramouli said the problem of e-waste needs the intervention of all stakeholders, including the government, manufacturers and electronic users. Legislation on e-waste is still in its infancy, he said.

Dr Chandramouli said four issues — quantity, quality, cost and time — are to be analysed to find a solution on e-waste. Quantity estimates of e-waste vary across agencies. Though penetration of personal computers and electronic goods is low, the penetration of e-waste is high. “We need to look at import of e-wastes (around 50,000 tonnes annually).”

On quality, he asked why products are not environment friendly at the production site itself. Manufacturers of CRT (cathode ray tubes) have decided not to use lead in products to make it environmental friendly.

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