Developing countries are dumpyards for e waste
A recent study in the US shows that by 2004, over 315 million computers will become obsolete. By 2005, for every single computer an American buys, one will be discarded
A recent study in the US shows that by 2004, over 315 million computers will become obsolete. By 2005, for every single computer an American buys, one will be discarded
It took a much-publicised Greenpeace agitation in 2005 two years to achieve its desired result - make Wipro Infotech come out with a range of eco-friendly desktops in June 2007. Unfortunately, it will need a more sustained movement to curb the growing electronic waste menace- which is bound to gain momentum following the 2% reduction in the mean central value-added tax rate on all IT products announced in the latest Union budget, as more people dump their old desktops for newer versions. "Sales of desktops are likely to go up 15-20% because of rising demand. Unless corrective measures are taken, the e-waste problem is going to become more serious,' Vinnie Mehta, executive director of the Manufacturers' Association for Information Technology (MAIT), said. "It's high time India had proper guidelines in place on disposal of ewaste,' Greenpeace toxics campaigner Ramapati Kumar said. Currently, many companies either dump their e-waste in the garbage bin or sell it to local scrap dealers. A large quantity of desktops sold in India use hazardous chemicals like polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and brominated flame retardants (BFRs), which makes it more necessary that these products are disposed safely.
The EU offers a solution to disposal and recycling of CFLs. Under its Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive of 2005, it is the responsibility of the manufacturer to collect and recycle the spent bulbs. Collection of these bulbs can take place at the point of sale or at e-waste collection points. The customer can return the CFL from where he or she bought it. Manufacturers have
Five companies making personal computers have failed to fulfill a pro-environment commitment to recycle old products in Hong Kong, claims a conservation group. The Friends of the Earth (foe), Hong
14/02/2006
To avoid being turned into a dumping ground for e-waste, the Nigerian government has decided to slap duties on old computers imported for spare parts. Much of the unwanted material is dumped. It is
epidemic in up: Japanese encephalitis (JE) has killed 153 people in eastern Uttar Pradesh, especially in Mahrajganj, Kushinagar, Gorakhpur, Sant Kabirnagar, Siddharthanagr and Deoria. As many as 530
14/09/2005