Understanding what is E-waste and how are we adding to it.

• Professor
• Sep 30, 2022
• E-waste

Understanding what is E-waste and how are we adding to it.

Electronic product when is no longer useful or in operation constitutes e-waste. There are number of chemicals/metals that are present in these electronic products that can prove to be very harmful for humans, animals, and earth. Namely, mercury, lead, beryllium, brominated flame retardants, and cadmium. When these are not handled properly these end up in soil, water and air.

India is now 3rd largest e-waste generator, producing nearly more then 3 million metric tonnes of e-waste every year, just behind US and China. A study by KPMG and ASSOCHAM says computer equipment account for almost 70 per cent of e-waste in India, followed by telecom/phones (12 per cent), electrical equipment (8 per cent) and medical equipment (7 per cent).

Though India is only country in South East Asia to have a legal framework for handling e-waste. The regulation is in place since 2011. In 2016, the rules were even tweaked further to introduce Producer Responsibility Organization (PRO) while bringing buy-back, deposit refund and exchange schemes under EPR. There is still long way to go.

What can we do as individual equipment owner.

As an individual owner we must ensure that our devices remain operational for long. And, yes it can remain operational for long, by adapting to best practices. These electronic devices generally have a very long life, however owing to mis-management, poor handling, and no proper maintenance the operational life is reduced. Moisture, dust and heat contributes towards major reason for deterioration. If these three factors are handled we can have our devices work for ages.

CV22 invention, Technocover does the same for you. Once installed inside your computing device, it prevents over heating. Technocovers are dust proof covers, and prevents your machine from accumulating dust when powered off and in storage.

Become a responsible meerkat by adapting best practices and contribute towards reduction in E-waste generation in India. Get in touch with us to take it forward.