Electronic Waste Collection Program will commence on January 28 in WP | Daily News

Electronic Waste Collection Program will commence on January 28 in WP

The Central Environmental Authority (CEA) has decided to launch an electrical and electronic waste collection program in 40 locations in the Western Province on the 28th and 29th of this month.
 
Accordingly, 17 locations in the Colombo District, 13 locations in Gampaha and 10 locations in Kalutara will be maintained. A media briefing in this regard was held today (25) at the Central Environmental Authority under the patronage of Environment Minister Mahinda Amaraweera. 
 
Dr. Anil Jasinghe, Secretary to the Ministry of Environment and Siripala Amarasinghe, Chairman of the Central Environmental Authority were also present. Speaking at the event, Minister Mahinda Amaraweera said that the decision to implement such a program was taken due to the significant environmental damage as well as the serious impact on public health due to the electrical and electronic pollution that is not currently in use.
 
About 95,000 metric tons of electrical and electronic waste is dumped in our country annually and by 2021 it will be increase to 121,000 metric tons.
 
He also emphasized the need for an information system to implement a national policy for the disposal of electronic and electronic waste, control over imported electronics and electronics, and launch a program for the control of new equipment, according to a report released by the Department of National Audit in 2019. 
 
Therefore, the Minister instructed to expedite the process. The general public prefers to keep expensive electric and electronic equipment in their homes, even if they are dilapidated after use. But some of the radioactive substances contained in these devices pose a risk of skin diseases, skin cancer, and a number of other conditions. Therefore, the Minister requested that such inactive devices not be kept in houses but handed over to these places.
 
The Minister also said that large batches of water are being polluted due to the discharge of batteries from inactive mobile phones. A disposable mobile phone battery has the potential to pollute 30,000 liters of water. 
 
Therefore, the Minister requested all media institutions to co-operate in this program, targeting the massive environmental damage and health problems caused by the improper disposal of many of the electronic and electronic devices we use into the environment. Siripala Amarasinghe, Chairman of the CEA also addressed media.
 

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