The recycling of e-waste is causing heavy metal contamination in Moradabad. The city gets 50 per cent of all printed circuit boards (PCBs) used in India and 90 tonnes of e-waste daily.
According to a study conducted by the Centre for Science and Research (CSR) on Moradabad’s e-waste recycling industry, residents may face serious health hazards, including cancer. Also, it might pose a threat to the environment.
The CSE report draws conclusion on the basis of findings of soil and water samples collected from five locations including Nawabpura, <g data-gr-id="29">Karula</g>, Daswaghat and Rehmat Nagar, where a vast majority of the population is involved in handling e-waste. The other locality from where the samples were picked for the test is Bhojpur, a neighbouring village, which is also a major e-waste handling centre.
Residents of the city use a river in the area for washing purposes, whereas people of downstream areas use its water for consumption purposes.
After comparing the results with Canadian and US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) standards, it was found that zinc levels are 15 times more than the USEPA standards in the soil samples, while copper levels were five times higher. Chromium level in a soil sample collected from the riverbed was twice the Canadian <g data-gr-id="31">standard,</g> while cadmium was 1.3 times higher.
“The results were similar for the water samples. Mercury levels in samples taken from the Ramganga were eight times higher than the Indian standard. Traces of arsenic were also found,” the report said.
The study has also quoted Moradabad’s district magistrate Deepak Agarwal, who said that 50 per cent of all PCBs used in India end up in Moradabad, adding that the city gets about nine tonnes of e-waste each day.
CSE’s deputy director general Chandra Bhushan said: “With such huge amounts of e-waste being dumped in the city, structural mechanisms are needed to deal with the problem,” adding that the findings are alarming as it will prove to be dangerous to the environment and can cause serious health ailments, including cancer.