Delhi Environment Minister Imran Hussain has said that Delhi Government has 37 authorised e-waste collection centres. He said that unauthorised dismantling and recycling of e-waste is posing a great danger to human health and the environment. He also said that the e-waste should be disposed off only at the Delhi Pollution Control Committee- authorised collection centres in strict adherence to the e-waste Management Rules.
While addressing a workshop, organised by the Environment Department on e-Waste Management for bulk consumers, the Minister said that there was a need to create public awareness about the hazards of improper disposal of e-waste.
During the workshop presentations on e-waste legislations and management by experts Dr Amit Jain, MD, IRG Systems, South Asia, and Priti Mahesh, Chief Programme Coordinator, Toxics link, shared their views on making the world toxic free.
These Rules are applicable to every manufacturer, producer, bulk consumer, collection centres, dealers, e-retailers, refurbishers, dismantlers and recyclers involved in manufacture, sale, transfer, purchase, collection, storage and processing of e-waste or electrical and electronic equipment (including their components, consumables, parts and spares which make the product operational) as listed in schedule 1 annexed to the e-Waste Management Rules.
“E-waste is managed by dealers who are generally ignorant about handling e-waste and as a result e-waste often ends up being burnt for extracting valuable metals which also release harmful gases in the atmosphere thus causing air pollution,” said the Minister.