A recent Greenpeace report "Toxic Tech: recycling electronic
wastes in China and India", released on 17th August 2005, has
conclusively proved that heavy metals including lead and cadmium,
acids and organic contaminants are released into the workplace and
in many cases, into the surrounding environment, during the e-waste
recycling and scrapping process. Greenpeace considers that the only
way to deal with the growing problem of electronic waste is for
companies to design clean electronics with longer life spans, that
are safe and easy to recycle and will not expose workers and the
environment to hazardous chemicals.
"Samsung, Sony and LG are some of the multinational companies
that have made commitments to eliminate the use of hazardous
chemicals such as polyvinylchloride (PVC) and brominated flame
retardants (BFRs), in their products and substitute them with safer
alternatives(1). Many companies are also exploring mechanisms to
'take-back' their end-of life products. This clearly proves that it
is possible to make electronic equipment without the use of these
hazardous substances and still remain profitable," said Ramapati
Kumar, Toxics Campaigner, Greenpeace India
The Karnataka Pollution Control Board (KPCB) has already served
notice to Wipro for having sent significant volumes of electronic
waste to unauthorized recycling yards, where products are taken
apart (often by hand) under appalling conditions, exposing workers
and the environment to potentially harmful substances.
"Wipro, an iconic Indian brand, prides itself on its strength in
the Technology and Enterprise domains. It's high time it used these
strengths to make the much-needed shift to clean production and
build a competitive edge by introducing products that do not cause
harm to the environment or to people," he added.
Greenpeace is demanding that all electronics manufacturing companies:
1. Eliminate the use of hazardous chemicals in their products and substitute them with safe alternatives.
2. Take Extended Producer
Responsibility for all their products, from the production cycle to the
end of the products’ life cycle.
For further information:
Ramapati Kumar, Toxics Campaigner, Greenpeace India: +919845535414 
Namrata Chowdhary, Media Officer, Greenpeace India: +919810850092 
See the
E-waste Campaign pages
See related
E-waste story
Footnote
1: Substitutes for Brominated Flame Retardants: For example Sony has
developed an inorganic flame-retardant made from vegetable-based
plastic (UL94 V-2) See http://www.sony.net/SonyInfo/Environment/news/2004/01.html