OSPCB to make inventory of e-waste

State pollution control watch dog Odisha State Pollution Control Board (OSPCB) plans to engage an agency to prepare the inventory of electronic waste generation in the state.

"We will engage an agency to make the inventory of electronic waste generation in the state," said D K Behera, senior environment scientist, OSPCB on the sidelines of a seminar on e-waste management and entrepreneurship development, organized by Confederation of Indian Industry-Odisha in association with OSPCB.

The e-waste generation is pegged at 7,000-8,000 tonne annually in the state unofficially. OSPCB has formulated guidelines for disposal of e-waste for the state government offices. It has authorised 11 e-waste collection centres in the state.

The e-waste inventory based on the obsolescence rate in India for the year 2005 was estimated at 146,180 tonnes and it is likely to exceed 900,000 tonnes by 2015. Sixty five cities in India generate more than 60 per cent of the total waste generated in the country. Ten states generate 70 per cent of the total waste. In this regard, Maharashtra ranks first, followed by Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, WestBengal, Delhi, Karnataka, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Punjab. Among top ten cities generating e-waste, Mumbai is at the top followed by Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Pune, Surat and Nagpur.

"The electrical and electronic waste (e-waste) is one of the fastest growing waste streams in the world. The increasing market penetration in developing countries, replacement market in developed countries and high obsolescence rate make e-waste have contributed to this syndrome," said BK Sahoo, Convenor -IT panel, CII- Odisha. Sahoo said, the extended producer responsibility (EPR) is an environment protection strategy that makes the producer responsible for the entire life cycle of the product, especially for take back, recycle and final disposal of the product. He stressed on making EPR a mandatory activity associated with the production of electronic and electrical equipment over a period of time by including it in the legislative framework. Speaking on the occasion Satish Sinha, associate director, Toxics Link proposed setting up of 3-4 clusters for collection, dismantling and recycling of e-wastes in the state.