Question raised in Rajya Sabha on Rise in electronic waste, 27/03/2017
Question raised in Rajya Sabha on Rise in electronic waste, 27/03/2017. The country’s economic growth, rise in per capita income, and technological innovations coupled with high obsolescence rate of electronic and electrical equipment to increase in the rate of generation of e-waste. Toxic constituents such as Lead, Mercury, Cadmium, Hexavalent Chromium, Polybrominated biphenyls and Polybrominated diphenyl ethers are used in the manufacturing of electronic devices. Disposal of e-waste from such electronic devices, without processing it in an environmentally sound manner, may affect the human health and environment including soil and ground water. No comprehensive inventorization of e-waste generation in the country has been done. However, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), had projected 8.0 lakh tons of e-waste generation in the year 2010. In the country there are 178 dismantling/recycling units with a capacity of 441085.6 metric tonnes per annum. In Maharashtra there are 32 dismantling/recycling units with a capacity of 47810 metric tonnes per annum. The State-wise detail of installed recycling/dismantling facilities operating in the country is given at annexure-1.