Unused electronic and electrical waste lying idle in households will no longer be a headache.
Wadakkanchery municipality is taking a revolutionary step by starting an e-waste collection programme, with the support of Haritha Karma Sena (Green Action Force).
This initiative, which is a pilot project in the State, will be led by the municipality along with Erumapetty and Thekkumkara panchayats. The e-waste collected by Haritha Karma Sena will be handed over to Clean Kerala Company for proper disposal. The government is also preparing to implement a Statewide e-waste collection policy.
The comprehensive e-waste collection program will begin in Wadakkanchery Municipality from February 20. The goal is to eliminate the common practice of burning or handing over e-waste to unauthorised agencies, ensuring proper e-waste management.
When e-waste is burned, the resulting smoke contains pollutants that are up to six times more hazardous than regular waste. If e-waste is handed over to unapproved individuals or agencies, the valuable parts are extracted, and the rest is often discarded into water bodies or public spaces, causing significant environmental harm. By properly handing over e-waste to Haritha Karma Sena, such issues can be avoided, according to the municipality.
Ahead of the e-waste collection, a training session on e-waste management was conducted for the members of Haritha Karma Sena through Clean Kerala Company. The session aimed to provide the necessary knowledge on proper e-waste disposal.
The awareness class was inaugurated by the Municipality chairman, P.N. Surendran, at the Kerala Varma Reading Room in Wadakkanchery. The event was chaired by vice chairperson Sheela Mohan. The training was conducted by C.P. Karthika, a resource person from Clean Kerala Company.
