By Greentech Lead Team: The West Bengal government has
shortlisted two companies, Kolkata-based West Bengal Waste Management and
Surat-based Gujarat Enviro to set up an e-waste dismantling facilities in the
state on a public private partnership (PPP) basis.
“DPRs have been submitted and they are expected to be
cleared by June this year. Both the units will be set up near Kolkata,” said
Raj Pal Singh Kahlon, principal secretary, State Environment department.
The state has no e-waste dismantling facility though some
unorganized units operate in scattered manner. The e-waste at present finds its
way to scrap dealers and later to the backyards where they are dismantled and
materials such as copper, lead, gold, iron, aluminium and plastic recovered
through crude methods, according to a report in Hindu Business Line.
The Kolkata Metropolitan Area (KMA) generates 26,000 tons
of e-waste, of which nearly 10,000 tonnes are recyclable. However, only 2,000
tons are recycled annually.
The project aims to dismantle discarded electrical or
electronic devices into various parts such as metal frames, power supplies,
circuit boards and plastics and recycle them.
Gujarat Enviro is a prominent player in solid waste
management and has an existing facility at Durgapur in West Bengal. Gujarat
Enviro on its part confirmed submission of the DPR and urged the state support
in terms of funding for projects to materialize.
The selected private party will hold 50 percent stake in
the projects, estimated to cost Rs 12.5 crore each, followed by 25 percent each
by the State and the Union governments.