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5 e-waste workers risk lives
By SiliconIndia | Tuesday, 08 December 2009, 19:07 Hrs |
20 Comments
5 per dismantled machine, these people are subjecting themselves to constant cuts and scrapesIn Mustafa Bad, a remote part of east Delhi, a narrow street is home to tiny workshops filled with hard workers. Inside, dozens of people, many of them children, spend tiring hours picking through the remains of old computers and mobile phones - hoping to find reusable parts to sell on for a tiny fee. According to the United Nations, 20-50 million tonnes of electronic waste - or e-waste - is produced every year. A large amount of it goes to recycling plants like this.
"This is our livelihood," says, Mohammad, one of the workers. "For this one computer piece that we've opened up and dismantled, that's five rupees. Yes, we only get five or ten rupees for each one." In a visit to one such plants Satish Sinha who works for an India-based NGO, Toxics Link, saw the plicht of these workers. "I personally have met people who have very visual impact on their body. Broken skin on the fingers, cut marks, abrasions, eyes are watering, complaining of headaches," said Sinha.
They work long hours. They work in small, cramped rooms, squatting on the floor. They're sitting in one position. Without these workers, however, much of the world's e-waste would go un-recycled.
"I think manufacturers must own up this responsibility to deal with the kind of products they bring into the market," said Sinha.
Take Back
Nokia is a manufacturer trying to do just that. Through their new scheme, Take Back, they have encouraged India's mobile users to return their old mobiles to the store so it can be recycled. Such schemes may be a step in the right direction, but according to a recent study by consulting firm Deloitte, it's merely a drop in the ocean: mobile phone waste is estimated to be growing by nine percent every year.
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Reader's comments(20)
1:
My name is Amrish Patel and We are know very well Electronic waste is very dangers for our health and for our environment so we will start a plant for dispose of Electronic Waste and dispose Electronic Waste and clean our environment because we are live in this our nice Environment, Our government should involve in this Electronic Waste matter and create and develop strict rules So If you have any electronic waste then sure you will give to us because we have good and very large plant in India and state name is Gujarat and we are doing final dispose with our government rules and norms because we are the authorization from Gujarat Pollution Control Board and if you want then sure we will give you certificate of dispose Electronic Waste. If you will want to contact me then you will call me on my cell no. 9825031734 or you will visit our website www.ecoliwaste.com
Posted by:Amrish Patel
- 01 Jan, 2010
2:
There are a LOT of very dangerous jobs out there in the work world, and usually adults that do them are paid very well for that. The know the dangers, they have a need to support their families. Sometimes they get sick early, die early, sometimes they can sue and sometimes not. What's the bad thing about recycling electronics in India is that sometimes the children are doing the dismantling. Are there laws in India that keep children from doing manual labor until they are like 16 years old or older? The young should be in school. That's just the way it is, the world produces dangerous stuff.
Posted by:Christie Fox
- 09 Dec, 2009
3:
The mantra of " Reduce, Reuse, Recycle " applies here. Reduce your generation of e-waste through smart procurement and good maintenance. Reuse still functioning electronic equipment by donating or selling it to someone who can still use it. Recycle those components that cannot be repaired.Because human life is precious and definetely it doesnt costs Rs 5.
Posted by:Sumi
- 09 Dec, 2009
4:
The solution to this what i found is though not simple but can be possible and will take around 1 generation more.
"Every girl child should be educated so that when they got married or eligible for marriage they should be in a position to earn the livelihood of their childrens and their own. so that they dont need to work as maid or sweepers in Houses and dont need to send their children at tea stalls.".
But still in india people dont like women to be educated because they think they will argue them in diff matters.
"Every girl child should be educated so that when they got married or eligible for marriage they should be in a position to earn the livelihood of their childrens and their own. so that they dont need to work as maid or sweepers in Houses and dont need to send their children at tea stalls.".
But still in india people dont like women to be educated because they think they will argue them in diff matters.
Posted by:Ashwani Kumar
- 09 Dec, 2009
5:
housekeeping and cleaning homes here in the USA is a lucrative career for women. I'm surprised you suggest that education would save a woman from a lucrative career such as house cleaning. Perhaps the difference here is that the woman owns her own cleaning business. There maybe you are referring to the woman working under an employer.
Christie Fox Replied to: Ashwani Kumar
- 09 Dec, 2009
6:
I also feel that child labour should be ended in india. But i listen few words from a Old person. he said by poiting to a child working at his Tea Stall "where this child will go now, as his father is dead and mother working as maid in houses, what will his brother do, if they will not work, they will get into wrong directions and will become Thiefs or PickPocket or will be used by smugglers for their own purposes".
Posted by:Ashwani Kumar
- 09 Dec, 2009
7:
1. Child labor should be banned in India and everywhere else.
2. There will always be risks in certain human endeavors. India's socialist government should take steps to combat these ills if they are going to tax these establishments. This industry should be reclassified as a cottage industry and adult workers should be supplied with free band-aid, gloves, other insulating materials and the workers should be given regular medical checkups.
3. Question: Tiny amounts of gold is utilized in computers. Who gets the gold? Perhaps some worthless, predatory Indian politician will someday get wind of it and take over this industry....... in the name of the Greater Good.
2. There will always be risks in certain human endeavors. India's socialist government should take steps to combat these ills if they are going to tax these establishments. This industry should be reclassified as a cottage industry and adult workers should be supplied with free band-aid, gloves, other insulating materials and the workers should be given regular medical checkups.
3. Question: Tiny amounts of gold is utilized in computers. Who gets the gold? Perhaps some worthless, predatory Indian politician will someday get wind of it and take over this industry....... in the name of the Greater Good.
Posted by:OneOpinion
- 09 Dec, 2009
8:
I feel the title of this topic should be
"In India, cost of Life = Rs. 5"
Because we have abundant amount population and do not know what to do with it. How many agree with me?
"In India, cost of Life = Rs. 5"
Because we have abundant amount population and do not know what to do with it. How many agree with me?
Posted by:Nag
- 09 Dec, 2009
9:
Yes all manufacturers and retailers of electronic goods should plan to re-cycle things that are obsolete. Otherwise, think of whole India filled with e-waste and plastic covers.
Posted by:Anjaneyulu
- 09 Dec, 2009
10:
When compared to other materials like glass and metal materials, plastic polymers require greater processing to be recycled. Another barrier to recycling is the widespread use of dyes, fillers, and other additives in plastics. The polymer is generally too viscous to economically remove fillers, and would be damaged by many of the processes that could cheaply remove the added dyes. Additives are less widely used in beverage containers and plastic bags, allowing them to be recycled more frequently.
The most-often recycled plastic[citation needed], HDPE or number 2, is downcycled into plastic lumber, tables, roadside curbs, benches, truck cargo liners, trash receptacles, stationery (e.g. rulers) and other durable plastic products and is usually in demand. In Israel successful trials have shown that plastic films recovered from mixed municipal waste streams can be recycled into useful household products such as buckets. Similarly, agricultural plastics such as mulch film, drip tape and silage bags are being diverted from the waste stream and successfully recycled into much larger products for industrial applications such as plastic composite railroad ties. CNN reports that Indian Dr. S. Madhu of the Kerala Highway Research Institute has formulated a road surface that includes recycled plastic. Aggregate, bitumen (asphalt) with plastic that has been shredded and melted at a temperature below 220 degrees C (428 °F) to avoid pollution. This road surface is claimed to be very durable and monsoon rain resistant. The plastic is sorted by hand, which is economical in India. The test road used 60 kg of plastic for an approx. 500m long, 8m wide, two-lane road. taken from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plastic_recycling
The most-often recycled plastic[citation needed], HDPE or number 2, is downcycled into plastic lumber, tables, roadside curbs, benches, truck cargo liners, trash receptacles, stationery (e.g. rulers) and other durable plastic products and is usually in demand. In Israel successful trials have shown that plastic films recovered from mixed municipal waste streams can be recycled into useful household products such as buckets. Similarly, agricultural plastics such as mulch film, drip tape and silage bags are being diverted from the waste stream and successfully recycled into much larger products for industrial applications such as plastic composite railroad ties. CNN reports that Indian Dr. S. Madhu of the Kerala Highway Research Institute has formulated a road surface that includes recycled plastic. Aggregate, bitumen (asphalt) with plastic that has been shredded and melted at a temperature below 220 degrees C (428 °F) to avoid pollution. This road surface is claimed to be very durable and monsoon rain resistant. The plastic is sorted by hand, which is economical in India. The test road used 60 kg of plastic for an approx. 500m long, 8m wide, two-lane road. taken from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plastic_recycling
Christie Fox Replied to: Anjaneyulu
- 10 Dec, 2009
11:
For each monitor, computer, printer and scanner I want to have recycled (because there is nowhere else for the non-working machines to go) I pay Staples to take them off my hands. Staples then has people in America who dismantle the machines or fix the machines and send them overseas.
Christie Fox Replied to: Anjaneyulu
- 09 Dec, 2009
12:
Like Nokia every firm has to start the initiation.........
Posted by:Kishore
- 08 Dec, 2009
13:
Hazardous e-waste shipments that threaten the poor in China, India and Nigeria are likely to see increased shipments in the coming years.
E-waste is consumer and business electronic equipment that is near or at the end of its useful life. Certain components of electronic products contain materials that render them hazardous, and include heavy metals such as lead, cadmium, mercury and arsenic. Many of these elements are extremely valuable, such as gold and platinum, while the majority of them are non-renewable.
Consumers discard an estimated 14 to 20 million personal computers every year just in the US, while activist groups expect developing nations to triple their output of all electronic waste by 2010.
E-waste is likely becoming an environmental and health problem in both Asia and Africa.
Greenpeace International released a report in August 2005 of its scientific investigations into the hazardous chemicals found in scrap yards where China and India recycle their electronic waste. Greenpeace found toxic chemicals that include tin, lead, copper, cadmium and antimony in the soil and local rivers around scrap yards where both countries recycle electronic waste. The organization confirmed that all stages in e-waste processing could release substantial quantities of toxic heavy metals and organic compounds into the workplace environment.
Activists have raised the same environmental and health concerns in Africa.
Professor OladDele Osibjano of the University of Ibadan in Nigeria says that he has found excess heavy metals in soil, plants and people who eat vegetables. He claims that this problem has social health implications due to grazing animals, people picking vegetables and eating them, and drinking water containing toxins.
Companies ship e-waste to India and China because "recycling" is a lucrative business.
The process involves the employment of poverty stricken citizens to strip down computers and extract parts to re-use in machines and sell on the street. Electronic recycling is an unregulated industry in India, and activists now fear that the recycling process is harmful to the health of its employees.
The Indian government estimates that the country generates approximately 146,000 tonnes of e-waste annually, and that another 150,000 tonnes of used PCs, printers and other IT devices enter its ports illegally.
What is called for is to make e-waste producers accountable for their actions and a check on the use of toxic substances during the production process itself.
Dr.A.Jagadeesh Nellore(AP)
Hazardous e-waste shipments that threaten the poor in China, India and Nigeria are likely to see increased shipments in the coming years.
E-waste is consumer and business electronic equipment that is near or at the end of its useful life. Certain components of electronic products contain materials that render them hazardous, and include heavy metals such as lead, cadmium, mercury and arsenic. Many of these elements are extremely valuable, such as gold and platinum, while the majority of them are non-renewable.
Consumers discard an estimated 14 to 20 million personal computers every year just in the US, while activist groups expect developing nations to triple their output of all electronic waste by 2010.
E-waste is likely becoming an environmental and health problem in both Asia and Africa.
Greenpeace International released a report in August 2005 of its scientific investigations into the hazardous chemicals found in scrap yards where China and India recycle their electronic waste. Greenpeace found toxic chemicals that include tin, lead, copper, cadmium and antimony in the soil and local rivers around scrap yards where both countries recycle electronic waste. The organization confirmed that all stages in e-waste processing could release substantial quantities of toxic heavy metals and organic compounds into the workplace environment.
Activists have raised the same environmental and health concerns in Africa.
Professor OladDele Osibjano of the University of Ibadan in Nigeria says that he has found excess heavy metals in soil, plants and people who eat vegetables. He claims that this problem has social health implications due to grazing animals, people picking vegetables and eating them, and drinking water containing toxins.
Companies ship e-waste to India and China because "recycling" is a lucrative business.
The process involves the employment of poverty stricken citizens to strip down computers and extract parts to re-use in machines and sell on the street. Electronic recycling is an unregulated industry in India, and activists now fear that the recycling process is harmful to the health of its employees.
The Indian government estimates that the country generates approximately 146,000 tonnes of e-waste annually, and that another 150,000 tonnes of used PCs, printers and other IT devices enter its ports illegally.
What is called for is to make e-waste producers accountable for their actions and a check on the use of toxic substances during the production process itself.
Dr.A.Jagadeesh Nellore(AP)
Posted by:Dr.A.Jagadeesh
- 08 Dec, 2009
14:
since a lot of the technology is in Asia then why can't Asia make products that can be updated instead of thrown away? Sure thrown away at the end of their use of 15-20 years since plastic breaks down at 20 years.
When I want to replace dead drives in my computer I'm told to buy a new pc. When my modem gets hit by lightning and needs replacing I was told by a tech that the part was not available (HP DID have the part). When I want my printer to continue working and could just replace the pad inside to make it work I'm told to just buy a new printer. See, it's because the parts aren't available or the products are set by software to not work anymore, or the techs aren't educated enough to fix them. Why not work on that problem from the beginning when designing a product? instead of complaining about the problems that occur later down the line?
When I want to replace dead drives in my computer I'm told to buy a new pc. When my modem gets hit by lightning and needs replacing I was told by a tech that the part was not available (HP DID have the part). When I want my printer to continue working and could just replace the pad inside to make it work I'm told to just buy a new printer. See, it's because the parts aren't available or the products are set by software to not work anymore, or the techs aren't educated enough to fix them. Why not work on that problem from the beginning when designing a product? instead of complaining about the problems that occur later down the line?
Christie Fox Replied to: Dr.A.Jagadeesh
- 09 Dec, 2009
15:
well written. Agree with u.
ratnesh Replied to: Dr.A.Jagadeesh
- 09 Dec, 2009
16:
This is the right time for Government of India and Central Pollution control Board to bring a regulation like Restriction of Hazarodus substance (RoHS)and Waste Electrical and electronic Equipment( WEEE) which is mandatory in Europe and China and also ensure Recovery and Recycling of Electronic wastes.
Posted by:Sundar
- 08 Dec, 2009
17:
e-waste management is a big big business opportunity in India. Wonder why there aren't any takers out there.
Posted by:Farhad
- 08 Dec, 2009
18:
We are trying to start up an e-waste facility in India. But do you have any idea how hard the government make it to start up a company like this? Lets just say they don't make it easy.
KJinIndia Replied to: Farhad
- 09 Dec, 2009
19:
Dozens of takers exist across the country!
Lots of e-waste management companies are operating across the country. They have safe working conditions and govt certifications. But the kabariwala network manages to collect all e-waste.
About 5% of total e-waste goes to formal recyclers.
Lots of e-waste management companies are operating across the country. They have safe working conditions and govt certifications. But the kabariwala network manages to collect all e-waste.
About 5% of total e-waste goes to formal recyclers.
FFF Replied to: Farhad
- 09 Dec, 2009
20:
This is a very terrible situation that the workers are in. Hope the authorities taken up some initiatives to change this scenario..
Posted by:Das
- 08 Dec, 2009
Beautiful and dress selection, please go to Dresses
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