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There are major environmental benefits in collecting 75 per cent of old refrigerators which contain chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) - a chemical that eats away the ozone layer, and is a highly potent greenhouse gas. Achieving that target would save the
equivalent of roughly 34 million tonne of CO2 from entering the atmosphere. Considered the best E-waste programme in the world, it's not working all that well. Only about 25 per cent of Europe's medium-sized household appliances and 40 per cent of larger appliances are collected for salvage and recycling. Small appliances, with a few exceptions, are close to zero per cent - the collection rates are very poor in Europe.

People simply aren't aware of the dangers and throw their used goods away. The low collection rates suit manufacturers quite well because they have much less to recycle. No one is really responsible for collection. Manufacturers say they can't make people bring back their E-waste, and in reality, manufacturers don't want it back because there are costs associated with recycling. And major efforts are needed to increase public awareness of the need to properly recycle E-waste. Manufacturers can figure out how to get us to buy their products, they could find ways to get us to bring them back. Electronics giant Sony has already agreed and will now take back old TVs at 75 retail stores free of charge. All major manufacturers and retailers should join Sony on this.

WeP formulated a Green strategy to enter into recycling of IT Hardware products, and has commenced this activity through its Long Life IBU where IT consumables like print head, toner cartridges, etc., are being recycled to reduce IT waste in the environment. In addition to this, they have entered into an agreement to give their waste only to the Pollution Control Board authorized E-waste recyclers in India. WeP has also an advantage of taking a lead in E-waste management and, hence, can distinguish itself as a responsible player in the market. Apart from internal initiatives ensuring safe E-waste management practices, WeP launched Bangalore wide citizens programme in April last year. An awareness campaign was started henceforth targeting citizens, corporation and schools. This is a simplistic set-up of special collection centers across the city to institutionalize segregation and collection of compact discs, floppy discs and dry cell batteries.

Although the initiative started as a network of 10 centers placed at prominent shopping areas in the city, they have around 150 collection centers in schools, colleges, offices, apartments and commercial establishments in Bangalore. They have received an encouraging response throughout the year and are committed towards an eco-friendly, financially-viable and socially-acceptable E-waste management system for Bangalore.

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Dr. Gursharan Singh Kainth started his career as Lecturer at Post Graduate Dept. of Economics, Government College, Gurdaspur, and later at Khalsa College; Amritsar, specializes in Quantitative & Development Economics. Has the distinction of serving Punjab Agricultural Univ, Ludhiana, for more than 2 decades and remained Director-Principal of Saint Soldier Management & Technical Institute, Jalandhar. Currently, heading GAD Institute of Development Studies, Amritsar, a self-financed research institute. Has been honoured with various awards, including Guru Draunacharya Samman, Vijay Rattan Award, etc.
Article posted on February 22, 2009.