New Delhi, 1 June 2021: When you look
for a new version of mobile phone or any other gadgets for better speed and
services, do you ever think what will happen to the older one? If not, you are
not alone. Majority of gadgets used in India are going to landfills causing
harm to many. Now is the time one should start worrying about older gadgets and
how it is going to impact our environment! For your help only, gadgets
companies are coming forward and offering several solutions.
But first of
all, to understand the gravity of the problem, we need to see the scale of
waste in India in general and e-waste in particular. Around 62 million tonne of
municipal solid waste is created per year out of which only 43 million tonnes (MT) of the waste is
collected, 11.9 MT is treated and 31 MT is dumped in landfill sites.
When it comes
to e-waste generation, India generates 3.2 million
tonnes of e-waste annually, ranking third after China (10.1 million tonne) and
the United States (6.9 million tonne). We all are contributing to it despite knowing
the fact that these e-waste materials are going to landfills and can be hazardous
for others.
To deal with
the burgeoning problem of e-waste in India, the Ministry of Environment, Forest
and Climate Change, Government of India has notified E-Waste Management Rules,
2016 and made all gadgets companies responsible for managing their e-waste.
So, what
exactly is e-waste? Any electronic product such as television, air conditioner,
refrigerator, mobile phone, etc. when it reaches its end-of-life, it becomes an
e-waste.
To tackle the
emerging crisis related to e-waste, companies engaged in gadget manufacturing
or marketing are offering several solutions.
For example,
Samsung India collects e-waste and ensures that it is disposed of in the most
responsible way; one just needs to inform them.
To provide
customers with the best possible take-back solutions, Xiaomi has partnered with
Karo Sambhav- a leading Producer Responsibility Organisation (PRO). Karo
Sambhav is a tech-enabled, environmentally beneficial and socially responsible
PRO which works with market leaders to create a strong network of collection
channels across the country.
The company
offers a solution in terms of Xiaomi Home Pickup Service and also Karo Sambhav
collection points.
Similarly,
REALME Mobile Communication (India) has tied-up with an authorized e-waste
recycler namely 3R Recycler for facilitating its customers to enable them to
dispose of e-waste products after its end-of-life. It says that 3R Recycler is
a pioneer of recycling the e-waste in the most organized manner in India.
Apple offers a
similar option where its customers can get its help in recycling their old
gadgets. It offers details of two organisations including Karo Sambhav and
Cerebra where a customer can find a collection point of old Apple products.
