E- Waste comprises any redundant electronic products and includes computers, entertainment goods and mobile phones.
The real dangers of e-waste have been brought home in New Delhi following the death of an individual and the need for hospital treatment for seven others through radiation poisoning. This incident has flagged up the need for a national e-waste policy to prevent such occurrences in future.
E-waste is growing rapidly in India in line with the huge economic growth occuring there and this has resulted in an ever increasing demand for electronic goods for domestic and commercial use. India is now faced with finding a solution that is environmentally, socially and economically sustainable.
India’s state of Tamil Nadu has recognised the need to address this growing problem and the State government together with its IT department and the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) are developing an E-Waste Policy. TNPCB has prime responsibility for implementation and the action plan will set out firm timescales, the establishment of monitoring machinery, e-waste recycling promotion and involvement of SMEs.
The Tamil Nadu E waste policy stresses the role of businesses, local authorities, town panchayats and panchayats in e-waste collection and segregation, particularly from households and other end-users. There will also be a requirement to send collected waste to authorized collection centres or registered recyclers.