KMC asks citizens to deposit e-waste at 12 centres

Kolhapur: The Kolhapur Municipal Corporation (KMC) has appealed citizens to hand-over the electronic waste to the e-waste centres located at 12 places in the city.
The officials claim that the amount of electronic waste is alarming levels. The quantum of e-waste has not been measured by the KMC, but the officials claim that the amount of such waste has increased significantly.The central government mandates the civic body to set-up an independent system to collect, segregate and dispose of the e-waste. The disposal has to be carried out in a scientific way to avoid any environmental damage as the e-waste comes under the hazardous waste category.
Dilip Patil, chief health officer of KMC said, “In order to facilitate the collection, segregation of e-waste we have set-up collection centres at 12 places. The citizens are appealed to provide their electronic waste such as defunct electronic devices to the centres. The dumping of such waste in open or in regular waste will invite action as per the provisions in the Environmental Act. Also, the citizens unable to reach out to the centres can deposit the waste to the ghantagadi’s and auto-rickshaw tippers. They will bring e-waste to the collection centres. We are in consultation with the private agencies to dispose of the waste in a proper way.”
The e-waste collection centres are started at Kapiltirth Market, Kalamba Filter House, Govindrao Pansare Vidyalay, Tarabai Vidyalay, Shahu Cloth Market, Padmaraje School, Shaniwar Peth, Panchaganga Hospital, V S Khandekar School, Tatyasaheb Mohite school, Kawala Naka, Kasba Bawda Pavillion Hall, and Mahadik Mal family health centre.
E-waste consists of electronic appliances, computers, and its parts and other products, which require electricity to function. The waste generates toxic elements such as lead, cadmium, mercury, and chromium, which are hazardous to human life. According to the experts, an estimate of four to five tonnes of e-waste is generated every year.
As per to the guidelines, the electronic waste is processed in three stages, in the first stage, the items are decontaminated followed by the items being dismantled and segregated. Some of which are re-usable and the firms can contact the manufactures to bring them in re-use.