No plot yet for e-waste plant, tenders in 2 months……..Swapnil Rawal
The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) will float tenders in two months to set up a dedicated electronic waste processing unit in the metropolitan region.
However, the MMRDA is yet to locate a four-acre plot in the region for the unit.
We will approach the Maharashtra Urban Infrastructure Development Company Ltd (MUIDCL) for the bid process management along with Ajay Saxena, the PPP expert on the bids. We hope we can invite tenders for the processing unit in two months, said M R Shah, principal advisor, solid waste management cell, MMRDA.
Earlier, the MMRDA had asked the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) to be the chief facilitator to implement the project for 25 years while the MMRDA would continue as a nodal agency. However, it did not materialise. As per the offer, the MIDC will have to identify a four-acre plot in the MIDCs in MMR. The MIDC will identify plots in MMR and in the coming weeks will analyse if the location is suitable. If the location is not suitable we have other options as well, said Shah.
The proposed plant would have a comprehensive process to collect, transport and recover precious metal from e-waste and its safe treatment to ensure no environmental degradation.
A study by the MPCB has highlighted an alarming projection of e-waste generation in the MMR and estimates that the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) would be over 50,000 tonne by 2015. It was 20,000 tonne in 2007.
Earlier, the MMRDA had initiated a feasibility study by the International Resources Group (IRG) System South Asia Pvt Ltd for e-waste processing plant in MMR and the report had stated that an e-waste processing unit is highly feasible in MMR.
According to Shah, they are expecting 60 per cent e-waste from the corporate sector and institutions while the rest will come in from the domestic sector. The collection of the e-waste would be done by the operator and the treatment would be in three stages separation, segregation and recovery of precious metal. Civic authorities would also be roped in to collect the waste from domestic sector, said Shah.