PERILS OF ELECTRONIC WASTE: ISSUES AND MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES

Abstract

Electronic waste or e-waste is one of the most popular growing issues of the world. The term e-waste is for the collection of old discarded computers, TVs, Refrigerators,, radios – basically any electrical or electronic appliance that has reached its end-of-life. While e-waste contains both valuable materials such as gold, palladium, silver and copper, it also contains harmful metals like lead, cadmium and mercury. In the absence of suitable techniques and protective measures, recycling e-waste can result in toxic emissions to the air, water and soil and pose a serious health and environmental hazard. In India, e-waste is mostly generated in large cities like Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore. In these cities a complex e-waste handling infrastructure has developed mainly based on a long tradition of waste recycling. But the problem is that these recycling processes are extremely harmful and have negative impacts on the worker‟s health and the environment. There is no generally accepted definition of e-waste, in most cases, e-waste comprises of relatively expensive and essentially durable products used for data processing, telecommunication or entertainment in private households and businesses. Public perception of e-waste is often restricted to a narrower sense, comprising mainly of end-of-life information and telecommunication equipment and consumer electronics. The world is consuming more and more electronic products every year. This has caused a dangerous explosion in electronic scrap containing toxic chemical and heavy metals that cannot be disposed of or recycled safely. So the concept is that how this e-waste should preventfully recycled so that there should be prevention on environmental damage. E-waste is assuming serious proportions in India and urgent steps need to be taken to mitigate this problem. This paper highlights the problem posed by e-waste in India. It also recommends some steps for a swift solution to this grave danger.