E-waste to get more toxic for humans

Sep 10, 2011 - Rashme Sehgal |

Age Correspondent

New Delhi

The NGO Toxics Link has warned that recycled plastic from electronic waste (e-waste) is posing a serious health hazard.

Experts at Toxics Link warn that recycled plastic (from e-waste) contains brominated flame retardants (BFR). These chemicals are extremely harmful for humans but are used in a number of toys and households items causing a threat both to the user and to those involved in the recycling process. Since a great deal of the recycling work is done in the unorganised sector, there are few safety norms in place.
Electronic waste, if improperly treated is also known to be a major source of toxins and carcinogens. The CEO of Roorkee-based Attero Recycling, India’s leading company in e-waste management, Mr Rohan Gupta, believes that the country needs to have much stricter norms in place for e-waste management.
This viewpoint is shared by Toxics Link which cites an example of finding BFR and heavy metals, including cadmium and lead, in 18 samples out of 44 collected from recycling and moulding units in Delhi.
Ravi Aggarwal, who is heading Toxics Link, warned that these e-waste recycled plastic was being mixed with virgin plastic to make toys and other household items. This kind of cross contamination had the potential of contaminating the entire supply chain of raw material. Gupta of Attero also believed that the government needed to come up with a sustainable solution.

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