Is it dumped in open or left in offices, shops and houses to rot? Are they collected and recycled properly?

Data from the state government reveal the sorry state of e-waste management in the state capital.

For the 20,000 MT of e-waste in Bhopal division, there are just five collection centres with a combined capacity of 150 MT a year. Further, there is no e-waste recycler or dismantler in the state capital.

The data suggests that even if all the centres are working to capacity, then also about 99% of the e-waste generated every year is not even collected. Forget its recycling or treatment.

Collection agents' point they could barely collect 10% to 12% of their total capacity, as neither there is awareness among people or administration's strictness over the issue.

The shocking figures are from the city that bagged the tag of being the second cleanest city in the country in the swachh rankings.

Madhya Pradesh Pollution Control Board (MPPCB) said Bhopal division inventory indicate e-waste generation was 17,970.04 MT in 2011. It will go up to 62,928.76 MT by 2020.

Data analysis shows that cellphones and its accessories constitute the biggest chunk of e-waste generated from the city followed by computers, television, printers, fixed line telephone, refrigerators, washing machines and air conditioners.

Some of the major features of e-waste regulation having implication on e-waste inventory assessment indicate that no target has been fixed to collect e-waste from the time of enforcement. Producer is not bound by any collection target. There is no mechanism also for tracking purchase of e-waste by bulk consumers.

MPPCB can track or monitor e-waste inventory in the state only through the dismantler's or recycler's data where they are registered. This indicates that e-waste is either dismantled or recycled in informal sector in the state, including Bhopal division.

The officials differ on e-waste being dumped in city. They said it is not mandatory for any organisation to give e-waste to only the five e-waste collection centres in city. E-waste can be given to any collection agent outside Bhopal or even outside the state wherever a seller gets good price.

But, the authorities were unable to point how much e-waste has been disposed outside the city or state and not in the five authorised e-waste collection centres in Bhopal division. Officials said after the new rules, collection centres are not even required to take authorisation from the pollution control board.

SI Ali has an e-waste collection centre in Bhopal with a capacity of 60 MT. He said his centre collects just around 10 MT. There is no awareness on e-waste disposal in city, he said.

Even big government establishments dispose their e-waste through scrap dealers. The district administration has not taken any step in the past six years to address the issue, he added.

MPPCB, scientist, Harshvardhan Thakkar said awareness is not created on e-waste in the city as well as in state. Government departments too have not started contacting PCB on how to dispose e-waste of their offices. Pollution control board guides them on the safe disposal of e-waste.

S Fareed Uddin, specialist - Quality Management in Healthcare said, there is emittance from the e-waste components. It is carcinogenic. The government's instructions on e-waste are not clear. Efforts should be made to make people aware and streamline the process to avoid the ill-effects of e-waste.