India, which is emerged as world’s second largest mobile market, is also the fifth largest producer of e-waste, discarding roughly 18.5 lakh metric tonnes of electronic waste each year. The telecom equipment alone accounting for 12% of the e-waste. The rising level of e-waste in India has been a matter of extreme concern at present days. With more than 100 thousands mobile phones in circulation, nearly 25% end up as e-waste annually.

To felicitate e-waste management in the country, the government is implementing a scheme under which the financial assistance is provided for awareness and capacity building activities relating to e-waste management. Under the “Creation of Management Structure for Hazardous Substance” scheme, the government is also setting up integrated recycling facility for e-waste. In addition, the guidelines for implementation of e-waste rules 2011 have been formulated.

The Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change has notified e-waste management rules and these rules prescribe a waste collection target of 30% waste generated under extended producer’s responsibility. The rules prescribe financial penalties for non-compliance. The unorganized sector in India is estimated to handle around 95% of e-waste collected in the country.

There are around 52 registered e-waste Dismantler/Recycler in Karnataka. In 2011, their e-waste collection centers were inaugurated in Dakshina Kannada to serve the industrial area at Baikampady. It was also said that Mangalore would have 12 e-waste collection points for the safe disposal of calculators, batteries, computers and mobile phones. But little has been known about these collection points.

Few clubs in schools and colleges have been collecting e-waste from across the city. As they have no knowledge regarding the e-waste collection points set up by the government, the e-waste is now piled up in the storage room.