E-waste could be very hazardous. With lethargy and lack of awareness about its disposal, e-waste keeps piling up in homes and offices. Some sell it off to kabadiwalas who offer money, with little or no knowledge about the safe ways of downsizing or further recycling it. It’s sad that on the International E-Waste Day (observed on October 14), Goa’s first and longest running e-waste recycling centre ‘Group Tenplus’ could collect only 30 kilograms of e-waste.
“Sadly, the collection today was just like any other normal day, when we usually manage to collect 30-40 kgs,” said Ashley Delaney, founder of Group Tenplus.
Attributing this to less public awareness about e-waste, its disposal and the harmful effects on health and environment, Ashley stated that he collects anything that runs off a wire, plug or battery that the person is not going to use again. He has also expanded into collecting dry waste along with e-waste.
While Group Tenplus bags the tag of being the first e-waste collector in Goa, started on 10 October 2010, exactly 12 years ago, there are two more players in the market now. While Saligao based Group Tenplus is into e-waste and dry waste collection, Global E Waste Management System founded by Soham Prabhu collects only e-waste, and Karo Sambhav Collection Centre in Panaji takes e-waste and plastic waste.
Software engineer Soham Prabhu, who started Global E Waste Management System, in 2016 is into dismantling of e-waste and processing it further. “On International E-Waste Day, we collected 2 tonnes of e-waste. Usually we collect around 15 tonnes per month, though initially in 2016 this figure was only half a tonne per year,” shared Soham.
Carrying out collection drives across Goa, from Pollem to Pernem, visiting homes and offices on people’s calls, Soham’s team plans their pick up schedule smartly. The team does demonstrations in schools and colleges, and sign MoUs through which they run awareness campaigns.
“The students are educated about the seriousness about the hazardous metals in the e-waste,” adds Soham who recently collected 50,000 tube lights from the CCP and has appealed to other municipalities and panchayats to come forward and handover tube lights from their area to him.
Pointing out that the mercury in the tube light is very dangerous and toxic Soham says, it is important to dispose it off but there is a cost for such disposal.
“We have an imported US machine that separates mercury from glass and this service is chargeable. Recognised by Central Pollution Control Board the TSPF (treatment, storage and processing facility) disposes of the mercury which we give them. They charge us, so we charge those who give us tube lights,” explains Soham who recently picked up tube lights from banks in Maharashtra.
Exposure to toxins can be both short and long term can lead to varying impacts on health from asthma to organ failure or even cancer.
Metals like cadmium weakens the bones, mercury can kill instantly and lead can cause brain haemorrhages.
The mother boards of instruments have layers of heavy metals on it to protect them from catching fire. But if these parts are burnt at scarp yards, toxic chemicals get released. So it is dangerous to sell off the e-waste in scrap, as those who dismantle parts and try to separate metals like copper or aluminium from it, actually endanger their lives.
“The kabadiwalas have their own crude methods to separate metals from e-waste, and these electrical components are highly inflammable,” warns the 34-year old Soham who will conduct a week-long collection drive in Ponda and Curtorim.
