An e-waste disposal plant

The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) will soon have an e-waste management system in place with the standing committee on Tuesday approving a proposal to allocate five acres of land to set up an e-waste disposal plant at Yevlewadi. The e-waste management and disposal project will be run on build, operate and transfer (BOT) basis. The PMC will also take up awareness campaigns to inform the public about the health hazards of e-waste and the need for its proper disposal. The proposal states that the quantity of e-waste being generated is rapidly rising in the city due to the presence of the large number of information technology companies and also the increased usage of electronic goods at individual levels. According to an e-waste, electric and electronic equipment assessment study undertaken by the air quality management cell of the PMC, more than 2,584 metric tonnes of e-waste is generated per year in Pune. This is increasing every year. The study states that discarded electronics equipment contain hazardous materials and if not disposed properly, they pose a serious threat to human health and the environment. To address the issue of e-waste management, Sarathi, a city-based NGO, had recently organised a seminar on e-waste management involving IT companies and the PMC. E-wastes include discarded IT and telecom equipment like personal computers, monitors and laptops; large household appliances like refrigerators and washing machines; consumer and lighting equipment; electrical and electronic tools, toys, leisure and sports equipment and medical devices.