India generates 146,000 tonnes of e-wastes

New Delhi, May 7 (UNI) As many as 146,000 tonnes of e-wastes are generated per year in India, the Lok Sabha was informed today.

Quoting an official study, Forest and Environment Minister A Raja told the lower house that about 29,000 tonnes of e-wastes are generated in the four metropolitan cities of Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata.

Replying to written questions, he said e-waste was regulated under the provisions of the Hazardous Waste (Management and Handling) rules, 1989, and amended in 2000 and 2003.

Mr Raja said there were more than 3,500 units engaged in electronic production. This consisted of 11 Central Public sector units with 31 manufacturing establishments, 46 units in state public sector, about 500 units in organised private sector and more than 2,900 units in small scale sector in the country. Besides these units, there were a number of unregistered smaller units engaged in assembly of consumer electronic products.

He said the Central Pollution Control Board had undertaken a study for the preparation of "Guideline Document for Environmentally Sound Recycling of e-waste" for the state pollution control boards and pollution control committee of the Union territories and the industries for handling e-waste.

UNI