In a fresh attempt to set up Delhi’s first electronic waste (e-waste) eco park in northwest Delhi’s Holambi Kalan, the industries department has finalised the plan for the 21-acre facility, which will host recycling centre and training facility to handle and process e-waste, senior officials aware of the matter have said.
The Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (DSIIDC) has invited expressions of interests from private players to set up the complex — featuring integrated ecosystem for e-waste management supply chain — on a public-private partnership (PPP) basis, and the process is likely to be completed by April 15.
According to the project report, the integrated complex will be located at the edge of the Urban Extension-2 road and will feature six major sections — decontamination units, dismantling units, refurbishing factories and recycling units, a testing facility and a training centre. “We will provide 21 acres of land to the private operator who will invest their resources to develop the buildings, utility, roads and machinery. The operator will be allowed to sell recycled products, recovered components and offer training courses to generate revenue, besides other streams,” an official added requesting anonymity.
HT reached out to the Delhi government, but did not receive any response to request for comment.
Common items in e-waste streams include computers, mobile phones, electronic items, household appliances, as well as medical equipment. Delhi is one of the largest e-waste hubs of the city annually generating around 2.3 lakh tonne, which is 9.5% of the national e-waste. The city is reliant on the city’s few registered e-waste collection centres in areas such as Mandoli, Okhla, Peeragarhi, Mandoli, Patparganj and Badarpur where the collected e-waste is dismantled and recycled. A large chunk of the e-waste lands up in landfill sites or ends up in the informal sector through waste pickers where they are dismantled and recycled in violation of all the laid down environmental safety rules.
Meanwhile, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has also started the process of empaneling new agencies for collection, processing and disposal of e-waste in the national capital. An MCD official said that the agencies will be empaneled for three years. “The task of these agencies will include collection of electronic waste in residential, commercial, institutional, industrial area under MCD.
A helpline phone number will be maintained by the agency on which generators and resident welfare associations (RWAs) can call to facilitate pick-up of e-waste and dispose it of scientifically,” the official added. The tendering process is likely to be completed by April 22. HT has seen a copy of the reports of DSIIDC and MCD.
In April 2021, the Delhi government announced that it will set up the country’s first e-waste park. In October last year, HT reported that a consultant was hired to prepare a project report on features of the ambitious project.
The report has proposed two alternative scenarios for developing the facility with the option of recycling units. Under both the scenarios, decontamination, dismantling, refurbishing, recycling, testing and training centre have been mandated, but a private operator has been provided to either develop recycling units on-site or off-site. Under the bidding process, DSIIDC has mandated that the applicant should have an average annual capacity of more than 10,000 tonnes per year of recycling of e-waste in case of recycler and for refining of metals in case of refiners.
E-waste rules mandate the state government or any authorised agency to ensure the collection of electronic waste through collection centres or a collection point, while also ensuring the recognition and registration of workers involved in dismantling and recycling of such items. The government also has to assist in the formation of groups of such workers to facilitate setting up dismantling facilities; undertake industrial skill development…
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