Mumbai lacks system to treat e-waste: Expert

Mumbai, which recently topped the list of cities across the nation in terms of e-waste generation, lacks an institutionalised system to treat e-waste, a leading environmentalist and eco-tourism expert has said.

The Asian Age had, on Friday, April 22, reported that according to a paper released by ASSOCHAM, Mumbai tops the list of cities in India in terms of e-waste generation, accounting for six per cent of the total e-waste generated by the country.

Commenting on the same, Kaustubh Bhagat, an environmentalist and eco-restoration expert said Mumbai had always been on the top of this list. “Collection, dismantling and recycling are the three steps in treating e-waste and all of them need different licenses given by central authorities like Mumbai Pollution Control Board (MPCB) and others. While collectors are only interested in collecting large quantity of waste, residents struggle with space to collect as much as 200kg of e-waste which can be then sent to the collectors,” said Mr Bhagat.

Apart from lethargy in collection activities, vested interests of dismantlers and recyclers also play a vital role in the lack of scientific segregation of waste. A few of the dismantlers said that while copper and aluminium were considered as most important byproducts of e-waste, they managed to get a good price for the same if the waste was dismantled and sold in the black market.

“Dharavi is very popular for e-waste dismantling. When a kilogram of copper scrap is priced at Rs 500-600, and one kilogram of aluminium scrap at Rs 150-200, who would take the effort of following the long-winding scientific system of sending them back to concerned companies as raw material,” said the owner of a metal spare parts shop who deals in the business.

“Informal recyclers use primitive and hazardous methods like acid stripping and open air incineration for processing e-waste. These methods are highly unsafe and cause pollution by releasing toxins from e-waste into the environment,” said Dr B K Rao, chairman, ASSOCHAM Health committee.