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| Electronics City to adopt 'Clean e-Waste Channel' |
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The phenomenal growth of the IT industry in the city has another side to it. The average life span of PCs in the IT industry is on average three years, resulting in a high obsolescence rate. Studies in Bangalore show that companies are struggling with the disposal of e-waste which are for example PCs, printers and in general any obsolete electric or electronic equipment. Some companies are storing, or donating, but most commonly disposing through open auctions.
The e-waste invariably flows to the informal recyclers where materials like gold, copper etc are recovered using dangerous chemicals and processes in a non-scientific way.
The hazards posed by the recycling of e-waste by unregulated recyclers can result in severe health and environmental impacts.
Recognizing that the e-waste problem will become more acute in the near future, ELCIA organized a two day event on September 20th & 21st to introduce the concept of a 'Clean e-Waste Channel' and demonstrate that e-waste can be disposed responsibly.
 A 'Clean e-Waste Channel' is 1) a convenient collection and disposal system for large and small consumers to return all their e-waste safely, 2) a voluntary system for modern and concerned producers to care for their product beyond its useful life and 3) a financially secure system that makes environmentally and socially responsible e-waste recycling viable.
The event was also supported by the Indo-German Swiss e-Waste Initiative and Saahas. The Initiative and Saahas, an NGO, have been involved in the e-waste issue in Bangalore for over 3 years now. A rapid assessment of the disposal and recycling activities in the city, training programs for skills and technology upgradation of the informal sector as well as the WEEE Care! awareness building campaign have been some of the Initiative’s projects in the city.
ELCIA is the umbrella organization representing all the companies operating in the Electronics City, and is already taking proactive steps in setting high environmental standards for its members. It has organized various eco-friendly programs, including a waste sensitization program on plastics. It is home to several of the biggest electronic products brands as well as large users, with over 150 member companies having around 60,000 staff.
As a first step towards setting up the clean e-waste channel, ELCIA organized a workshop and collection event on the 20th & 21st of September at the Electronics City Campus. The workshop was hosted by Infosys and attended by facility managers from several companies in Electronics City, as well as CPCB and KSPCB officials.
One of the major outcomes of the event was the decision by ELCIA members to formulate a ' Code of Conduct' for the companies in Electronics City which would define their commitment towards proper e-waste management. Another important issue discussed was donation of old computers for developmental and educational purposes, led by Anchorage, an NGO active in this domain.
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