BANGALORE: Representatives of the National Association of Software and Service Companies and the Manufacturers' Association of Information Technology have committed themselves to establishing a nodal agency that will develop a socially acceptable and financially viable model for electronic waste (e-waste) recycling within the next three months.

An agreement was signed on Thursday by representatives of both associations in the presence of officials of the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board and the Central Pollution Control Board at the conclusion of a seminar organised by Max Mueller Bhavan in association with the HAWA project, Karnataka, to promote the "Waste from Electronic and Electrical Equipment (WEEE) programme" in the city. The WEEE programme is a directive of the European Union on the restriction of the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment and ensure their proper recycling.

By signing the agreement, both associations declared to reduce, recycle and reuse e-waste. Bangalore, with its 1,322 software companies and 36 hardware companies, generates more than 8,000 tonnes of e-waste each year.

Information technology firms, who import equipment such as computers, cannot re-sell the equipment in India after a few years. They can either destroy it or donate it to charity. A survey by Saahas, a non-governmental organisation, has revealed that 21 companies decided to destroy their computers last year. The value of equipment that was destroyed by these companies was Rs. 15. 6 crores, said Wilma Rodrigues of Saahas.

The study revealed that there are 100 scrap dealers in the city; 50 of them recycle parts and 20 are involved in extraction of precious materials such as gold and silver. From these recycling hotspots located on Mysore Road and Thimmappa Road and other places, 80 kg of gold was retrieved from computer boards for a turnover of Rs. 4.8 crores.

Ms. Rodrigues said the most of recycling units in the informal sector are owned by families. Labourers at the units, including children, are often exposed to noxious substances.

Things were changing now. Ms. Rodrigues said the financial interests of the business are so bright that some families in the business are sending their children to study computer science.

Some members of the forum said that for efficient e-waste recycling in the city, small recycling units have to be registered or stripping of components has to be divided among groups to ensure good practices.

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