What is e-waste?

Product obsolescence whether inbuilt or otherwise is becoming more rapid since the speed of innovation and the dynamism of product manufacturing has resulted in a short life span for most electronic products.

The problem of e-waste arises when these used electronic devices and house hold appliances such as computers, hand held cellular phones, personal stereos and large household appliances such as refrigerators, air conditioners etc reach their end of life.

According to a recent report, India in 2007 generated 380,000 tonnes of e-waste from discarded computers, televisions and mobile phones. This is projected to grow to more than 800,000 tonnes by 2012 with a growth rate of 15 %.