Debasish Acharya
Post News Network
Bhubaneswar, November 6: The state may see 10 per cent rise in e-waste in 2015-16 on the back of huge increase in usage of digital equipments in the recent time. As per Kalinga eResources Pvt Ltd, which is an authorized e-waste collection and storage unit approved by Orissa State Pollution Control Board; the state will see such rise due to rise in IT related activities. “We see 8-10 per cent rise in e-waste generation in the state. e-waste generated during last fiscal was about 8,000 tonne,” Managing Director of Kalinga eResources, Shakti Prasad Mishra told Orissa POST.
He, however, said that 95 per cent of the e-waste is handled by non-registered units, making it difficult for exact quantification of the waste that is generated in the state. There is no effective mechanism to quantify the exact weight of the e-waste in the state, he added.
On increase of e-waste generation in the state, Mishra said as the corporate and other activities relating to IT sector are increasing in the state, the rate of e-waste generation is also going up. “The State Pollution Control Board is roping in more players to manage e-waste in the state. As per information, the board has issued notice to 43 IT and IT-related product manufacturers to set up their own collection centres in the state. Such steps will push up growth of e-waste collection,” Mishra added.
On performance of the unit this fiscal, Mishra said, “We are hopeful to collect 50 tonne this fiscal. Our growth is likely to be doubled in October-March period against the first half of this fiscal.” He also said the unit has already collected 14-15 tonne of e-waste by the end of September. “We are hopeful that our numbers will grow 8-10 folds if proper awareness is created in this line,” he added. On future plans of the unit, Mishra said the unit will slowly venture into dismantling of e-waste and then recycling those wastages. “We have collection units in 3-4 districts and quite hopeful that pollution control board would encourage other start-ups in the state to manage rising e-waste in the state,” Mishra added.
