TOI : Mumbai is e-waste capital of India : Sept 21 ,2007
Mumbai is e-waste capital of India
But No Safe Disposal Systems Are In Place
A FEW BYTES ON E-WASTE GENERATION
ACROSS NATION
(In Tons/Year) Mumbai: 11,000 Delhi: 9,000 Bangalore: 8,000 Chennai:
5,000-6,000 Hyderabad: Not available
Above data compiled by Greenpeace MAHARASHTRA: 20270.6 Greater Mumbai:
11,017.06 Pune: 2,584.21 Pimpri-Chinchwad: 1,032.37 Navi Mumbai: 646.48
Source: MPCB Study sponsored by Union Ministry of Environment and
Forests in 2005 reported that India produces 1.46 lakh tonnes of e-waste
annually
TOP STATES PRODUCING E-WASTE:
Maharashtra AP, Tamil Nadu Uttar Pradesh West Bengal Delhi Karnataka Gujarat
Madhya Pradesh Punjab
TOP CITIES:
Mumbai Delhi Bangalore Chennai Kolkata Ahmedabad Hyderabad Pune Surat Nagpur
WHY E-WASTE IS HAZARDOUS
It contains over 1,000 different substances, many of which are toxic and
create serious pollution on disposal
SOME TOXIC SUBSTANCES (and where you find them)
Lead: Monitor cathode ray tubes (CRTs), LCDs, solders, printed circuit
boards, lead-acid batteries. Compounds are found in stabilisers, polyvinyl
chloride (PVC) cables and other products
Cadmium: Metal is in some switches and solder joints, while compounds are in
rechargeable batteries, UV stabilisers, older PVC cables and older CRTs
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs): Widelyused in insulating fluids for
electrical transformers and capacitors
Mercury: In LCD lights, thermostats, sensors, relays, switches, medical
equipment, lamps, mobile phones and batteries. Use of mercury may increase
as flat panel displays replace CRTs EFFECTS OF THESE SUBSTANCE
Lead: Builds up in body through repeated exposure and has irreversible
effects on nervous system, particularly in children
Cadmium: Long-term exposure causes damage to kidneys and bone structure.
Cadmium and its compounds are known human carcinogens
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs): Causes suppression of the immune system,
liver damage, cancer promotion, damage to nervous system, behavioural
changes and damage to both male and female reproductive systems
Mercury: Causes damage to various organs, including brain and kidneys. Most
Developing foetuses are highly susceptible DANGERS OF DISPOSING, RECYCLING
Throwing e-waste into landfills allows toxins to seep into groundwater
Incinerators emit toxic air pollutants, including dioxins
Recycling computers is often marginally profitable and the industry
cannot afford to take precautions to protect the environment and workers’
health Source: Maharashtra Pollution Control Board, 2007
TOXIC TIMES: Greenpeace activists set up an art installation made of
dismantled computers during a protest against e-waste in front of the Union
Ministry of Information Technology in New Delhi last month
Publication:Times of India Mumbai; Date:Sep 21, 2007; Section:Times City;
Page Number:7