NEWS

Even as municipalities grapple with the problem of growing mounds of waste, electronic waste (e-waste) is fast emerging as a big challenge.

In initial efforts to address this, Guide Foundation for Development, Hyderabad, has joined hands with Clean E-India, to try and implement safe collection and disposal methods.

Clean E-India initiative was jointly launched in April 2013 by IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, and Attero, an asset management and recycling company to collect and responsibly recycle electronic waste through an approach that integrates informal waste collectors (kabadiwallahs) into an organised network.

Hyderabad is part of the four Indian cities where the initiative was launched. Ahmedabad, Mumbai, and New Delhi are the other three.

The effort has found support from leading electronics producers including Wipro, Samsung, Voltas, Acer, Videocon, and Haier.

The foundation will implement safe and responsible waste collection and recycling of electronic and electrical goods in Hyderabad, one of the biggest producer and consumer of electronic gadgets in the country.

It will simultaneously partner with informal sector institutions which include local scrap dealers and waste collectors for proper collection of e-waste from institutions and homes and ensure it reaches Attero’s recycling facility in a responsible and safe manner, said Murali Krishna Sarika, Executive Director.

Online tracking system

“We are in the process of developing an online tracking system to measure e-waste flows in the formal sector. We have also appointed six franchisees in the city and are setting up collection centres at pre- identified schools and resident welfare associations. The workers will be provided safety gears and trained,” he said.

Rohan Gupta, COO and Co-Founder of Attero said, Hyderabad is yet to create an efficient and organised mechanism for responsible e-waste collection and disposal. The partnership with GFFD will help drive the initiative forward. Attero is an electronics asset management company and has the capability to extract pure metals from end of life products.