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Rapid technology change, low initial cost, with planned obsolescence has resulted in a fast-growing surplus of electronic waste around the globe. Although technical solutions are available, but in most case a legal framework, a collection system, logistics, and other services need to be implemented before a technical solution can be applied.

Worldwide concern on growing eWaste has motivated companies to ‘go green’. The latest additions to this list are HCL and Nokia.

IT firm HCL Infosystems has started a campaign known as 'Green Bag'. In this campaign, people can discard their old IT equipment like computers, keyboard and printers in an environmental friendly way.

The 'Green-Bag' campaign will cover 99 'HCL Touch' centres across major metros and mini-metros in the country. These centres will accept eWaste and encourage people to dispose-off their end-of-life IT equipment, including computers, keyboard, scanner and printers in an eco-friendly manner, HCL Infosystems said in a statement. According to reports, HCL has also tied up with leading eWaste collection and recycling service providers in the country.

Mobile handset manufacturer, Nokia has also launched a ‘take-back’ programme in four cities to support e-waste recycling.

The pilot programme in Bangalore, Delhi, Gurgaon and Ludhiana launched on January 1 was backed up with a consumer awareness programme. The programme is now being expanded to all the major cities. The company has tied up with NGOs to plant one tree for every handset that is handed in for recycling.

The company has adopted a three-pronged approach to environment conservation. Apart from enabling proper disposal of electronic waste, the company is looking at the lifecycle of the product from sourcing materials and substances that go into the making of the cell phone and achieving energy efficiency (its chargers use less power) to recycling when the product falls into disuse.

Nokia collected about three tonnes of electronic waste consisting of 68,000 old devices including 10,000 mobile handsets, 10,000 batteries, 32,000 chargers, 1,000 headsets, body covers and accessories; in over 45 days under this programme.

More than 80 per cent of the materials in cell phones and accessories can be recycled to make a wide range of products - the plastics can be made into a wide range of products including household furniture.