Electronic waste or e-waste is the term used for electronic
products nearing the end of their useful life. E-waste is considered dangerous
as certain components of some electronic products contain materials that are
hazardous, depending on their condition and density. If improperly disposed,
discarded computers, televisions, VCRs, stereos, copiers, fax machines,
electric lamps, cell phones, audio equipment and batteries can leach lead and
other substances into the soil and groundwater. This leads to environmental
pollution and can also harm human health.
Communicare Trust, lead by Nalini Elvino de Sousa, in
partnership with NASSCOM Foundation have embarked on a massive e-waste
collection drive. The drive kicked off yesterday on the occasion of World
Environment Day and will go till June 15, 2017. The collection will take place
in Panjim at KTC Bus Stand, Goa Handicrafts Emporium, Panjim, Goa Handicrafts
Emporium, Mala, Panjim, Vidyut Bhavan, Goa Handicrafts Emporium, Panjim, St
Inez, CCP Animal Shelter, Panjim and Govt. Polytechnic Panaji (Ext. Wing),
Altinho.
Nalini says, “The drive was inaugurated by Dharmendra
Sharma, Chief Secretary, Government of Goa and it received a great response on
the first day. There are dustbins placed at these five venues where people can
stop by and despose of their e-waste. The only issue we will have is of
security of the e-waste. NASSCOM Foundation is currently having a ten-city
e-waste collection drive in Goa. Our job is to collect this e-waste and also
have awareness programs in different institutes around the state. We already
had an awareness workshop for the representatives of consumer forums, consumer
welfare clubs, mahila mandals, service clubs and housing societies. Since
schools have just started, we will be approaching the Education Board for
permission for workshops in schools.”
From mobile phones and battereis to broken ovens and
refrigerators, any electronic product can be discarded in these marked
dustbins. “From there the collection will be transported to Bangalore at the
end of the drive,” say Nalini, who was creating awareness at the Pop It Up held
at Taleigao last Sunday.
“Many Goans supported the cause. There are so many homes
that have e-waste but they don’t know how to get rid of it. They were surprised
to know that e-waste, which occupies so much space in the house, can be
discarded,” she adds.
But what happens after the campaign ends? Ashley Delaney
from Parra has the answer for you. He has been running his e-waste collection
centre for the past six years. “Anything that has a wire, a plug or a battery
or runs on electricity, that you probably aren’t going to use ever again,
comprises electronic waste,” explains Ashley, founding member of Group TenPlus.
Ashley earned public commendation after he was involved in
the Goa Schools Computer Project in 1998, in which used computers from
companies based abroad were shipped to India and put to re-use in Goa. The
initiative, the first of its kind in the country, also became the first of its
kind in the world when the school computers were run on the free Linux
operating system instead of Windows in order to save on costs.
To explain the concept of recycling and reusing, Ashley
explains, “Reusing is when a plastic bottle is cut and a plant is grown in the
container; recycling is when the bottle is melted down and the plastic is used
for other purposes. E-Waste cannot be reused but only recycled and people don’t
understand this. They demand money when they hand over their e-waste. There are
stages of recycling e-waste, for which the first step involves extracting of
metal, glass and plastic. This is a form of urban mining.” Group TenPlus
currently has eight collection points in Goa and they are looking out for more
individuals who could help them with this cause.
