E-waste includes discarded mobile phones, old batteries and CFL bulbs etc. If not disposed properly, they find their way to landfills leading to leakage of heavy metals and radio active substances that cause ground water contamination.The e-waste from households and small offices posing threats to the soil and health so Pollution Control should plan to involve rag-pickers and kabadiwallahs for their proper disposal.
The recycling activity is witnessing a shift and moving from largely unorganized approach to a more organized large scale corporate domain. The negative externalities caused from the hazardous nature of the material used in products makes it necessary to reclaim the waste and recycle components of the products to reduce the associated environmental contamination.
Home to 1,700 IT companies, Bangalore is fast becoming a dumping ground for electronic wastes generated by these firms. The city generates 8,000 tonnes of e-waste annually.
Businesses have to behave responsibly to maintain their brand images as well as reduce ecological burden of their operations. This not only reduces firm’s risks arising from future litigations but also saves on abatement costs. Finally, some of the materials have high economic costs of production produce but recycling can be an easy and cheaper option to reclaim the same product.
Dumping Companies should keep toxic materials out of landfills, groundwater and the air we breath. Work with approved processors to help divert toxic e-waste from landfills while providing an economically viable means of recycling and recovering reusable materials. The Rainforest Initiative encourages and promotes globally accepted "best" practices for recycling e-waste as well as the guidelines set by ISO standards.
