e-Waste mountains could crush India's environment -Governance Now

e-Waste mountains could crush India's environment

GN Bureau | April 7, 2010

India along with other developing countries will face the spectre of hazardous e-waste mountains with serious consequences for the environment and public health if recycling of e-waste is left to the vagaries of the informal sector, says a UN Environment Programme (UNEP) report.

Some of the key findings of the report:

* The report points out that by 2020 in India e-waste from old computers will have jumped to 500 percent from 2007 levels. In 2006, India had around 5 million PCs, and this is growing at a compounded rate of 25 percent per year.

* By 2020, e-waste from old computers in South Africa and China will have jumped by 200 to 400 percent from 2007 levels.

* By 2020, e-waste from discarded mobile phones in China and India 7 and 18 times higher respectively than 2007 levels.

* E-waste from televisions will be 1.5 to 2 times higher in China and India by 2020

* E-waste from discarded refrigerators in India will double or triple by 2020.

* China remains a major e-waste dumping ground for developed countries.

The UN Body has recommended the developing countries to formulate a policy on e-waste so that it is recycled properly to ensure building a new green economy.

Read the report here.

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