Greenpeace, an international agency that is fighting for global environment conservation, estimates that India currently produces four lakh tons of e-waste annually. Considering the present PC growth rate in the country, this figure will grow to about 1,100,000 tons by 2012. This would make India one of the most polluted countries in the world.

We all know that e-waste is highly hazardous to the environment as it contains toxic elements including lead, mercury, cadmium, and chromium. Therefore there should be no discussion on the issue now but only action. What is immediately needed is a legislation that is practical and balanced.

In 2006, a draft legislation on e-waste was made, which however could not be passed. Critics say that the legislation would not have worked anyways because the all responsibility for checking e-waste was put on the consumer, and such model has not worked anywhere in the world.

What is therefore needed is a legislation that should put an equal onus of e-waste control on the manufacturers too. One could look at guidelines that encourage vendors develop green IT products on one hand, and to buy-back old IT products from customers, on the other. China has already adopted a policy on e-waste.

Ibrahim Ahmad

While some awareness about the growing challenge of e-waste is coming at the level of large and medium enterprise users, most of the small and home users are not at all aware. And even if they are, they have no idea how to prevent it.

The IT channels and solution providers, because they primarily cater to small and home users, can play a big role in spreading awareness about e-waste. In fact, also the government's policy makers as well as vendors, have a key role to play, if they are really serious about fighting menace. I believe that channel partners and solution providers must take up this also on their agenda, even if the policy makers and vendors are not bothered.

Ibrahim Ahmad
ibrahima@cybermedia.co.in

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