WeP, Saahas start collection centres for e-waste

The people in the garden city might heave a sigh of relief so as to where to dump their e-waste products like dry cell, batteries and floppies, with WeP Peripherals, an IT peripherals and solution company along with Saahas, a Bangalore-based voluntary organisation, joining hands to solve the problem.

As a part of the effort, both WeP and Saahas have initiated an e-waste collection programme and launched a drive to collect these products at various locations in the city.

The e-waste bins will be located in places like Forum Mall in Koramangala, G K Vale photo studio at M G Road, Jayanagar and Indiranagar, Fabmall on Bannerghatta Road and Indiranagar, Safina Plaza and Fitness One in Jayanagar and Koramangala.

These collection centres will be inaugurated on 22 April (Earth Day), according to an official release. "We are working to initiate and strengthen the collection system for dry cell batteries and floppies. In the first phase, schools in the city have been given collection boxes and the students have been informed to bring the e-waste products from their homes and dump these into the collection boxes," said Wilma Rodrigues, coordinator, Saahas.

A study conducted by Saahas on hazardous waste management reveals that Bangalore generates about 4 lakh dry cell batteries every month, besides, several thousands floppies and CDs.

"When dumped in land fills, the toxic substances in them percolate down the soil and contaminate the groundwater," says the report.

According to Parthasarathy, MD, E-Parisaraa, an electronic waste recycling unit, the secondary raw materials derived from these products including zinc, steel and plastic can be recycled back into manufacturing. "The toxic materials shall be stored and safely disposed in the hazardous waste facility, which is soon going to come up in the state," he added.

Says Deepak Chari, general manager (finance & business development), WeP Peripherals, "As a large IT hardware company, we are extremely cautious about e-waste." He said the company took back the old print heads and cartridges and recycled them in an eco-friendly manner, besides giving its entire e-waste to E-Parisaraa.

Chari said the company has extended the safety measures to other corporates and the public by joining hands with Saahas in enabling widespread collection and safe disposal of e-waste products.