Webel (WBEIDC), nominated by the Bengal government as the state-level nodal agency for e-waste management, is coming up with integrated e-waste (electronic and electrical waste) management facility at Sonarpur in South 24-Parganas. This will be the first-of-its-kind in the state. The move assumes significance with the state government all set to implement the new e-waste rule, notified by the National Green Tribunal in November 2022, from April 2023.
In the new rule, the listed items categorised under e-waste, have gone up from 21 to 106. These all are full of toxic components, which are dangerous to human health, if not recycled properly.
As per estimates of 2017, e-waste generated per day in the state is 20 tonnes. “The facility that will come up in the existing Sonarpur Hardware Park will be able to handle 6 tonnes of e-waste per day,” a senior Webel official said.
Webel is assigned with the responsibility for the collection, segregation, dismantling and recycling of e–waste generated from different departments, urban local bodies, development authorities, district subdivisions, blocks, Gram Panchayats etc across the state, including private organisations.
Webel has started massive sensitisation in educational institutions, urban local bodies, and departments, involving scientists, personnel from the industries, banks etc, who deal with bulk e-waste.
The partakers and the participatory organisations are awarded the joint certificate of the West Bengal Electronics Industry Development Corporation (Webel) and the West Bengal Pollution Control Board (WBPCB).
“We are extending similar programmes at the district level involving the District Magistrates, BDOs and SDOs to grow the ethical practice of e-waste management throughout the state. Hooghly, Asansol, Haldia and Siliguri will be on the priority list,” the official added.
Webel has also floated
email id Contact@webel-india.com for any query regarding e-waste management.