E-waste threatens India's Silicon Valley

Monday, 13 December 2004, 20:30 IST
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BANGALORE: India's Silicon Valley is set to choke under a heap of e-waste generated by obsolete computers and electronic components containing harmful toxic substances, industry estimates indicate. By the end of 2005, about 1,000 tonnes of plastic, 300 tonnes of lead, 0.23 tonnes of mercury, 43 tonnes of nickel and 350 tonnes of copper are expected to be generated in the IT capital alone. "With over 1,200 technology firms, including 500 multinationals, Bangalore generates the largest e-waste annually among cities in the country," an industry source told IANS on the sidelines of a seminar here on e-waste and ROHS (restriction of hazardous substances). The seminar was organised by the Manufacturers' Association of IT (MAIT). "At the rate (40 percent) the industry is growing, the city will face an uphill task in handling its e-waste unless drastic measures are initiated now." Though second-hand parts and re-useable components from outdated PCs and electronic goods find their way into the grey market for recycling by low-cost assemblers or junk dealers, plastic frames and circuit boards are burnt in illegal dump yards, releasing toxic fumes and carcinogenic substances in the air. Chromium in floppy disks, lead in batteries and computer monitors and mercury in alkaline batteries and fluorescent lamps are equally hazardous, posing severe health problems and harmful effect on the environment. Toxics Link, a Delhi-based NGO, says India generates $1.5 billion worth e-waste annually with 1,050 tonnes of electronic scrap, dumped by manufacturers and assemblers.
Source: IANS
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