Pluss Polymers initiates e-waste management program in Gurgaon

Pluss Polymers, a materials research and manufacturing company, has initiated a campaign towards e-waste awareness among the Gurgaon community. The campaign – a brainchild of Pluss employees – aims to spread awareness on the impact of electronic waste on health and environment while emphasising the need for their safe disposal. “We are a small organisation, but we believe that CSR needs to be done by every organisation, large or small,” said Samit Jain, Managing Director, Pluss Polymers.
 
The use of electronic products has grown substantially over the past two decades. Rapid changes in technology, falling prices and planned obsolescence of electronic products are resulting in a fast-growing surplus of electronic waste around the globe. Solid waste management, which is already a mammoth task in India, is becoming even more complicated by the invasion of e-waste.
 
Electronic products contain harmful substances such as lead, cadmium, beryllium or brominated flame retardants. When these substances spill, leak, or leach into the ground or water, the ecosystem is heavily affected. Through such common environmental occurrences as erosion and heavy rain, the pollutant chemicals end up in our oceans, streams, and lakes, and eventually in our drinking water, thereby affecting human health too. Therefore, electronic waste should be properly recycled, refurbished or reused.
 
“Electronics contain various toxic substances such as mercury, lead, and cadmium that are harmful to both humans and the environment. Therefore proper collection and disposal of e-waste is needed, instead of accumulating it in houses or just throwing away in trash or selling to the unorganised sector,” opined Jain.
 
As part of this campaign by Pluss Polymers, awareness sessions and e-waste collection drives are being organised by the company’s employees in various residential complexes and schools in Gurgaon. All the collected e-waste will then be sent to an authorised e-waste recycler for segregation, recycling of recyclable components and safe disposal of the remaining scrap. The company is conducting this program in collaboration with Advit Foundation, a not-for-profit organisation, which is working closely with Pluss Polymers on various environment initiatives both within the organisation as well as in the neighbourhood.
 
“As part of our environment initiatives, we have been working towards water, energy and resource conservation for long. When Pluss Polymers approached us, we were happy to become a part of this program. With today’s quick technological changes and the resultant impact on our planet, it is imperative that we deal with the sensitive issue of e-waste management at all levels – starting with educating the community. If each individual acts responsibly by properly recycling e-waste and any other recyclable item, only then can we sustain our planet,” said Mathangi, Programme Manager at Advit Foundation.
 
In the first leg of this campaign, nearly 100 kg of e-waste was collected from the society and sent for recycling/ safe disposal to Earth Sense Recycle Pvt Ltd, an authorised company providing e-waste management services.