SPCB launches e-waste collection drive in Shimla - Shimla Now

The State Pollution Control Board (SPCB), in collaboration with Shiwalik Waste Management Ltd and the Inner Wheel Club of Shimla Midtown, started a six-day statewide e-waste collection-cum-awareness drive here on Monday. The drive is being organised to commemorate World e-Waste Day 2023 held on October 14 and to encourage people to responsibly dispose of their electronic waste.

The SPCB would collect e-waste from the city as well as its 11 regional offices and open a kiosk at its head office for the purpose. Sanjay Gupta, Chairman, HP State Pollution Control Board, flagged off a mobile van that collected e-waste from Bishop Cotton School, New Shimla, Khalini and the Deputy Commissioner''s Office. e-waste collection kiosks would be set up outside the Deputy Commissioner''s Office, at the Secretariat on October 18; Kanlog, Khalini, Chotta Shimla, Sanjauli, Dhalli and Bhattakufur on October 19; Panthaghati, Kasumpti, Vikasnagar, Mehli and Malyana on October 20 and Fagli, Tuti Kandi, Chakkar, Tutu-Tara Devi on October 21. Gupta said, "We have written letters to the heads of all departments of Shimla with a request to make their employees aware about the e-waste collection drive and deposit their e-waste at our mobile van."

Besides, people could deposit their e-waste in our 11 regional offices at Baddi, Bilaspur, Mandi, Shimla, Rampur, Parwanoo, Dharamsala, Una, Paonta Sahib, Kullu and Chamba.

Anil Joshi, Member Secretary, SPCB, said, "An increase in e-waste poses a significant threat to the environment, mainly due to toxic materials used in devices such as lead, cadmium, mercury and brominated flame retardants, which can cause significant damage to the environment and human health, if not disposed of properly. The collected e-waste shall be sent to dismantlers, refurbishers or recyclers for scientific disposal."