The E-waste Situation in India and Health Impact on Population

The chapter provides a brief vision into the perception of E-waste, its production in India, along with the ecological and health issues involved in it. The condition is startling because India produces around two million tonnes of E-waste per year, and practically all of it gets into the natural segment due to the lack of any substitute existing at present. Particularly, cosmopolitan cities like Mumbai, Delhi, and Bangalore are at higher risk of environmental contamination because of E-waste. Personnel in the E-waste dumping segment are ill-protected. They disassemble Ewaste, regularly with hands, in awful situations. Nearly 26,000 workers are working in scrap-yards at Delhi itself, where 15 000 to 25 000 tonnes E-waste is moved annually, with PCs alone contributing to 25% of E-waste. Additional E-waste scrap-yards are present in Chennai, Mumbai, Bangalore, Firozabad, and Meerut. The dangerous elements present in E-waste comprise considerable amounts of chromium, cadmium, lead and other fire-resistant plastics. Cathode-ray components and tubes with great lead content are very hazardous for health. Huffing or handling such materials and being in contact with these on a daily basis, may harm the nervous system, brain, kidneys, lungs and also the reproductive system. Functioning in poorly ventilated and bounded areas without practical knowledge and masks leads to contact with hazardous chemicals. The absence of experience made the people endanger their environment and health. There is a dire need for progress in E-waste management encompassing technical development, operative strategy, protecting procedures for the employees involved in E-waste dumping.

Keywords: Cathode-ray components, Contamination, Cosmopolitan, Dangerous, Disassemble, Dumping, E-waste, Ecology, Elements, Environment, Fire-resistant plastics, Harm, Hazardous, Health impact, India, Nature, Population, Production, Scrap-yards, Workers.