Electronic waste or e-waste consists of broken or unwanted electrical or electronic parts or equipment as a whole. The rapid obsolescence of electronics goods, compounded by dumping of electronic goods by the developed countries, has brought the e-waste problem in India into an acute crisis. Bangalore, the home of over 1,200 overseas and domestic technology firms, figures prominently in the danger list of cities that face e-waste hazard. E-waste including computers, refrigerators and televisions contain more than 1,000 different toxic materials and are non-biodegradable. Most of the e-waste in Bangalore is dumped in landfills or is incinerated, releasing harmful toxins into air and soil. Concerted efforts by various players in electronic product value chain, academic community and the government are required to evolve and implement a broad electronic waste management system in Bangalore. This paper discusses the current e-waste management system in Bangalore and proposes a new system.
e-waste, Electronic waste management system, Recycling
