http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/
JAMSHEDPUR: E-waste, which comprises precious metals like gold and silver, can produce more gold than what is obtained through mining, a senior academician said today.
Fifty pounds of gold and 20,000 pounds of copper could be extracted from one million discarded cell phones, if processed properly, Pranabesh Ray, Dean (Academics), XLRI – Xavier School of Management told a two-day national conference on e-waste management here.
Emphasising the need for proper management of e-waste, Ray said, globally, about 64.5 million tonnes of e-waste are generated annually of which, only around 40 per cent is processed properly.
India ranked third in the world in e-waste generation per annum, he said, adding that the country generated 1.7 million tonnes of e-waste in 2014.
The volume of e-waste is increasing everyday, thus becoming a major environmental concern even as the common man is unaware of his contribution to it, said Ray.
If unchecked, by 2017, the global volume of discarded e-waste will weigh almost equivalent to 200 Empire State buildings, he added.
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