Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation to launch doorstep e-waste collection initiative

Hyderabad: Soon, residents can dispose of their damaged computers, laptops, and other electronic items at their doorstep, courtesy Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC).

The initiative was prompted after GHMC's IT department at headquarters cleared 2.5 tonnes of electronic waste, comprising unused computers, printers, cartridges, and other spares. The officials realised that if a single office could generate such a substantial amount of e-waste, the citywide accumulation would be considerably higher.

Moreover, GHMC has observed residents disposing of electronic waste in Swachh autos, which creates complications during waste segregation at transfer stations. Recognising the challenges posed by residents mixing e-waste with daily municipal solid waste, GHMC chose to address this concern directly. According to the estimates of the Telangana State Pollution Control Board (TSPCB), over 50,000 metric tonnes of e-waste is generated in the state every year.

To streamline the process, the civic body decided to introduce an e-waste collection feature on MyGHMC application, allowing residents to place collection requests. Upon submission, the respective assistant medical officer of health would receive a notification and assign sanitation personnel to collect the electronic waste. The initiative would commence as a pilot programme in Begumpet next week before expanding it to the remaining 29 circles.

“There is a lack of awareness about proper e-waste disposal methods, leading to electronic devices being discarded alongside regular household rubbish. However, we are going to initiate this new doorstep collection service for residents to discard their non-functional electronic devices, including computers and laptops. The collected e-waste undergoes sorting at transfer facilities before being transported to a recycling centre, ensuring sustainable disposal methods and proper handling procedures,” a GHMC sanitation wing official said.

This also comes in the wake of Hyderabad's e-waste production rising substantially, primarily due to its expanding urban landscape and prominence as an IT centre. Despite the state implementing an e-waste management policy in 2017 for the proper disposal of end-of-life products, limited public awareness has resulted in the accumulation of electronic items in households, which constitute the primary source of such devices, officials said.