Get your e-junk removed at a single swipe

NEW DELHI: In a bid to prevent health risks resulting from exposure to electronic junk, the New Delhi Municipal Council ( NDMC) has set up five e-waste collection centres in its areas. It has also initiated a door-to-door pickup service, which is being offered for free.

The collection centres have come up at Kautilya Marg, Palika Niwas, Amrita Shergill Marg, Rajendra Prasad Road and Ashoka Road.

According to NDMC secretary Chanchal Yadav, most people are not aware of environmental hazards likely to be caused due to unscientific disposal of old and discarded electronic devices. "Garbage collection is obligatory function of civic agencies. It is also important to ensure that e-wastes are getting disposed of properly . We have set up five collection centres in our areas where people can dispose of electronic scrap. They can also raise a request by calling NDMC, which will collect it from their doorstep within a day," said Yadav.

A steep rise in the use of electronic gadgets, both for domestic and commercial purposes, has meant that e-waste generation has also gone up manifold. "We will also be able to find out how much e-waste is generated on a daily basis," said Yadav. She added that residents can make a request on the council's mobile app--NDMC 311.

Experts attribute the frequent fires at landfill sites to haphazard dumping of e-waste such as battery, circuits and chips. They say methane produced by chemicals released from electronic junk causes fire.

According to a WHO report, e-waste-connected health risks may result from direct contact with harmful materials such as lead, cadmium, chromium, brominated flame retardants or from inhalation of toxic fumes as well as from accumulation of chemicals in soil, water and food.