KOLHAPUR: The civic body is going to make all commercial and government

entities in the city that generate e-waste to register with agencies approved by
the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) for scientific disposal.
According to primary estimates, around 4,000 tonnes of e-waste, comprising
unused batteries, electric bulbs, compact fluorescent lamps, computers,
telephone handsets, cellphone accessories, batteries, circuit boards and
switches, is generated each year. The Kolhapur Municipal Corporation (KMC)
lacks a separate facility for its disposal as is required by the E-waste
(Management and Handling) Rules, 2011, notified by the Ministry of
Environment and Forests (MoEF).
On Environment Day in June last year, the civic body put one e-bin each in its
four ward offices and one at the KMC building, asking citizens to dispose of
their e-waste in these bins. The bins were kept for just a couple of days, with
an agency tasked with collecting, transporting and disposing of e-waste free of
charge bringing in 60kg of the waste. The bins were, however, removed as
shops and other establishments did not show any enthusiasm towards the
idea. Officials hope things will be better this time around as it will be made
mandatory for the shops to register with the agencies.

R K Patil, head of the environment cell of KMC said, "We have found that
many commercial and even government offices dispose of their e-waste like
any other garbage. They even throw it by the road side. The proportion of ewaste generated has doubled in the last couple of years due to the increase in
electronic devices. The municipal corporation is going to make it compulsory
for establishments that generate e-waste to regularly sign up with agencies
that dispose of the e-waste scientifically."

According to KMC officials, there are two MPCB-approved agencies in the city

for collecting, transporting and disposing of e-waste. Environment laws state

that such waste is hazardous and can damage the ecosystem. E-waste
contains hazardous elements such as mercury, lead, phosphorus, cadmium
and chromium, which harm health and the environment. But some of these
elements are valuable, and can be recovered through proper recycling.

"Sanitary inspectors appointed for every ward will be monitoring the

generation and disposal of e-waste. The registration of the establishments
with the agencies for the disposal of e-waste will be scrutinized during periodic
renewal of licenses and demand for new ones. If the sanitary inspector finds
that a particular establishment has not registered with these agencies, the
official should recommend that the authorities concerned cancel its license
and impose a fine of Rs 5,000," Patil said.

The civic administration is yet to work out the proposal for the registration of
establishments with the agencies and the fees to be paid for the disposal of
the e-waste. However, owing to the monetary benefits to the agencies through
the recycling of e-waste, the KMC is likely to make their services to the
establishments free of charge.