New Delhi: The state is now relying on a lone recycler to tackle e-wastes of the entire state, says records of the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change.
The single unit at Khurda which has been entrusted with processing e-wastes has capacity of 3,000 tonnes per annum.
As per the ministry’s figures, the other states which have units to process e-wastes are Karnataka (57 dismantlers/recyclers), Maharashtra (32), Uttar Pradesh (22) and Haryana (16).
E-waste in Orissa is projected to rise from 1,236.50 MT to 2050.71 MT by 2021 requiring
action from the state. As per the provisions of e-Waste (Management) Rules, 2016 states have been assigned the responsibility for environmentally sound management of e-wastes.
The Centre does not have a comprehensive inventory of e-waste in the country. In 2005 the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) estimated that there were 1.47 lakh tons of e-waste in the country, and had projected 8 lakh tons of e-waste by 2010.
As per norms, states through their Department of Industries or any other agency has to allocate industrial space for e-waste dismantling and recycling in existing and upcoming industrial parks, estate and industrial clusters and ensure registration of workers involved in dismantling and recycling of e-waste.
However, the state government has different figures to share. As per the list of the Orissa State Pollution Control Board website, Orissa has three registered e-waste collection-cum-dismantling units in the state based in Khurda, Jagatsinghpur and Berhampur. However, the works relating to recycling is yet to start at two of them.
PNN