The Delhi Government has decided to start an electronic waste management programme in the Capital. Also, the government planning to involve rag-pickers in managing garbage in the city. Both initiatives are part of the coming 11th Five Year Plan.

The demand to manage e-waste in the Capital has been gaining ground for the past few years. “Delhi is emerging as one of the hubs of electronic waste dumping. Some conservative estimates point out to addition of over 10,000 metric tonnes every year. Delhi’s discards include a high number of electronic goods, which find their way to scrap dealers. These dealers dismantle them to take out various metals and goods. Electronic waste is also added from neighbouring areas,” said a senior officer of the environment department.

Except for some private studies, no official survey has been carried out to assess the actual number of people involved in dismantling electronic goods, economics of the trade, health risks and pollution caused. “We are waiting for the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) to formulate its guidelines for e-waste management for the entire country. Based on it, we will prepare our policy and programmes,” the official added. At present, only Karnataka government has a programme to manage e-waste.

Once the CPCB guidelines are formulated, fresh studies will be commissioned by the department of environment to identify areas in the Capital where electronic waste is dumped in godowns, dismantled and then sold to various buyers, the officials said.

Electronic goods contain toxic substances like lead, cadmium, mercury, hexavalent chromium, plastic, PVC, BFRs, barium, beryllium, and carcinogens like carbon black and heavy metals, which are taken out after dismantling. These can cause severe health problems to those handling the waste.

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