SMC to engage in doorstep e-waste collection for proper disposal

SAMBALPUR: To ensure proper waste disposal, the Sambalpur Municipal Corporation (SMC) has decided to collect e-waste from the doorstep of the residents. The e-waste will be collected every Saturday by the SMC workers. 

Subhankar Mohanty, Enforcement Officer, SMC, said that e-waste has been a cause of concern for the civic body. Establishing a proper waste channel became essential after a significant increase in household waste output was noted. The improper disposal of the waste can lead to contamination and larger public health issues.

Previously, e-waste was being collected with the regular waste that posed a threat to the staffer who was allocated the role of its segmentation. Moreover, the heavier metal devices collected in the waste were harder to dispose of. 

Ragpickers and scrap dealers who collected the e-waste earlier used to take away the useful parts and throw away the rest. The decision by the SMC will ensure that the entirety of e-waste be disposed of as per regulations. 

A designated ‘E-Waste Corner’ has been set up at four material recovery facilities at Balibandha, Chaurpur, Durgapali and Burla. The e-waste would then be handed over to the scrap vendor once it is approved by the State Pollution Control Board.