Samalkha unit chips off gold from tonnes of e-waste

Dharmendra Joshi

Tribune News Service

Samalkha (Panipat), June 4

The information and communication revolution has undoubtedly brought a sea change in our day-to-day life but it also led to manifold problems in the form of hazardous waste.

It has been a challenge to properly recycle e-waste generated from obsolete computers, mobile phones and their accessories.

A unit recently set up here by Raman Sharma has started recycling e-waste in an environmental friendly way. While there are 138 registered units in the country in this field, but Exigo Recycling is the first of its kind which is doing end-to-end recycling, Raman claimed.

“This means not even a single part of e-waste is left without proper treatment,” he pointed out. Having started functioning in January, the unit is recycling 75 to 100 metric tonnes of e-waste every month.

Sharma said, “Various metals, including copper, aluminium, lead, gold and tin are extracted from e-waste by using various machines which are then sold in the open market.”

As per an estimate, 17 lakh tonnes of e-waste is generated in India every year and this waste is registering a 20 per cent growth annually. If it is not treated properly, it may pose a health hazard as it contains lead, cadmium and mercury, he added.

Raman’s father Ashok Sharma, who has been manufacturing and exporting carpets for decades, said his son did not show interest in the family trade and was interested in recycling e-waste.

“I was inspired when I attended a workshop during my BSc (Marketing) in London. Maximum government support is needed in this field. Currently, Gujarat is providing 40 per cent subsidy to e-waste recycling plants but no such concession is provided in Haryana,” he pointed out.