E-waste is increasing at an alarming rate with the use of technology

The Dhaka Times Desk Everything is going digital with time, all normal life is becoming 'e' dependent. On the other hand, its waste is increasing with the use of internet and electronic products to make life easier.

According to a report, 2.8 million metric tons of e-waste is generated in the country every year. At the same time, electronic waste is also increasing at the rate of 20 percent every year. There is no policy in the management of these wastes. That is why there is no rule of thumb.

A workshop was organized on Tuesday in Dhaka organized by the human rights organization 'Voice'. The speaker said that specific policies in immediate e-waste management are the need of the hour. According to them, it is also known about the presence of many other harmful chemicals like lead, mercury in these wastes. Which is capable of upsetting the lives of the people who depend on it besides soil, water, air pollution. Due to the development of information technology, the use of electronic goods is increasing day by day and due to the increase in human demand, the amount of e-waste has also increased, which is emerging as a threat to the environment.

Speakers in that workshop also said that at least 2.8 million metric tons of e-waste is generated in Bangladesh every year. In the last two decades, the amount of waste generated from cellphones alone was 10 thousand 504 tons. Moreover, every year an average of 2 lakh 96 thousand 302 TVs become useless from which 17 lakh tons of waste is generated. About 50 thousand children are involved in this waste collection. About 15 percent of child labor deaths every year are reported to be due to e-waste. Moreover, 83 percent of people are exposed to toxic chemicals.

In such a situation, a draft regulation on 'E-Waste Management Rules' has been framed under the Environment Protection Act 1995 and amended in 2011 and 2013. However, effective measures and implementation of this law is still not visible. In addition to creating public awareness in the workshop organized by 'Voice', the government has been strongly demanded to formulate policies in this regard.

NGOs, young entrepreneurs, writers and journalists were also present at the workshop titled 'Effective use of digital technology and effective e-waste management in Bangladesh'.

Abtab Khan Shaon presented key information in the workshop conducted by VOICE Executive Director Ahmed Swapan Mahmud. Journalist Salim Samad, Jamal Uddin, NorthSouth University teacher Dr. Irene Zaman, river researcher Sheikh Rokon and women leader Basanti Saha and others.

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