Shoma Patnaik
Panaji: With a high penetration of electrical and electronic equipment across different economic groups, Goa’s e-waste generation has increased seven-fold in the last decade, according to the government’s latest inventory of e-waste.
The inventory reveals that the state presently generates close to 7,000 tonnes per annum of e-waste as compared to 1,000 tonnes per annum in 2015. Further in 2005, as per the first countrywide assessment of e-waste carried out for the state by IRG Systems South Asia Private Limited, the quantity of e-waste generated in Goa was estimated at 427.4 tonnes.
The draft Goa E-waste Policy 2024, released on Thursday, says that e-waste generation in the state is increasing alarmingly with a consequent danger of environmental degradation due to improper disposal. It points out that quantifying e-waste is the first step towards its safer management.
The draft states that disposal of e-waste is not in accordance with the established procedures. There are over 700 scrap dealers across the state, of which around 350 are registered, and only a handful deal solely in electronic waste. Most of the collected e-waste is sent as whole to places like Selampur in Delhi for recycling in the grey market without dismantling.
Items such as CPUs, mobile phones, CRT televisions and laptops are dismantled locally and copper, plastic, glass, aluminium and iron are sent to various recyclers.
The draft policy aims to minimise e-waste generation, implement E-waste Rules of 2022, maximise resource recovery from end-of-life product and recycling as well as ensure environmentally sound disposal of residual or non-recyclable waste.
The Goa State Pollution Control Board will be responsible for implementation of the E-waste Policy. The draft states that henceforth, it will be the duty of all those who generate e-waste to dispose it of in collection centres or recycling facilities registered with the GSPCB, while the Goa Waste Management Corporation (GWMC) will encourage and promote necessary infrastructure for collection, storage, utilisation and refurbishing of e-waste.
“All stakeholders in the value chain of e-waste management will be required to ensure environmentally sound management of e-waste. The government will encourage PPP model for setting up facilities for recycling of e-waste,” states the draft policy, which has been opened up for public consultation.
The GWMC has invited suggestions on the draft policy by March 15.
