Discarded electronic equipment or e‐waste is one of the fastest growing waste streams in the industrialized world, due to the growing sales and rapid obsolescence of these products. E‐waste encompasses a broad and growing range of electronic devices like televisions, computers, refrigerators, air conditioners, and hand held cellular phones etc, which contain various types of toxic materials that poses both occupational and environmental health hazards apart from polluting the adjoining environment severely. The dumping of e‐waste, particularly computer waste into India from developed countries has further aggravated the problem associated with waste management and hence computer waste management is a major focus of this study. The paper initially summarizes various sources for e‐waste and their quantification. Environmental and occupational hazards associated with e‐waste processing are delineated by considering hazardous material and their composition, methods of handling and processing. The prevailing stream of waste management systems is analyzed to develop an appropriate strategy for betterment. Finally, the paper outlines the course of action for improvement in e‐waste management covering technological improvement, institutional arrangement and operational plan etc.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
MUNDADA et al. (2004) studied this question.