LALITPUR, August 10

Speakers have stressed the need to formulate a separate policy on sustainable  management of electronic waste.

They said this at a seminar organised by the Women’s Environmental Protection Committee (WEPCO) here on Monday to exert pressure on bodies concerned for a clear legal provision for proper management of electronic waste.

Necessity of law for proper management of electronic waste is essential for management and disposal of electronic waste considering the increasing use of electrical appliances like TV, computer, mobile, CFL bulb, refrigerator, fan, printing machine, telephone, wire and switches, among others in houses and offices.

They laid emphasis on the need of a separate policy as problem of electronic waste has become a major environmental challenge with the increasing trend of use of electric appliances due to urbanisation and development of technology.

They also pointed out the need of collaboration and coordination among government, non-government and private bodies for reducing electronic waste as it has become a human and environmental challenge.

Inaugurating the seminar, member of National Planning Commission Bharatendra Mishra, said that the discussion between bodies concerned would help formulate a legal provision on time and thus not allow the problem of electronic waste from becoming unmanageable. WEPCO Chairperson Bishnu Thakali said that the business of electric waste has been increasing in an illegal manner for lack of policy and action plan for its proper management.  She also stressed the need to collect electronic waste, process it and reuse in a proper manner.

Programme Coordinator Garima Shrestha said that there was possibility of taking benefit from proper management of electronic waste.

Likewise, official at the Urban Development Ministry, Dipendra Oli, said that problem has surfaced in management of electrical waste for lack of a clear policy and law regarding its collection, processing and disposal. A WEPCO study shows that the amount of electronic waste along with degradable and non-degradable waste from houses has increased. Electronic waste can be hazardous if the volume of such waste increases at the present rate, stated the study.