AWARENESS
OF E-WASTE AMONG GRADUATE
(A Case Study of Greater
Visakhapatnam City)
ABSTRACT
The electronic industry in the world’s
largest and fastest growing manufacturing industry in the world. The increasing
“market penetration” in developing countries. E-waste contains many toxic
components like cadmium and mercury etc.Electrical and electronic equipment
comprises like laptops, mobile photos, computers, TV’s, etc. In India 50,000
tonnes of e-waste imported illegally every year. Approximately 40% of heavy
metals found in landfills come from earth.
They are three keys to e-waste for
managing i.e. reduce, reuse, and recycling. Reduce principle is promoted at
design level. EU’s restriction of hazardous substances. Reuse principle
promoted reusing of EEE. While recycling principle refers to e-waste recycling
for both formal and informal sector. Recent research in India, for instance,
reveals that in recycling workshops there are about, 4,50,000 child workers
between of 10 to 14 age working at informal e-waste centres with no safeguards.
According to UNC global e-waste Monitors,
2015, India occupied fifth position among the top 5 e-waste producing countries
in 2014 by discarding 1.7 Million tons (Mt) of e-waste. India generated about
0.4 million tons of e-waste annually from computers, Mobile phones, and
televisions set only with an expected growth rate 10-15% per year. The Ministry
of Environment and Forest Government of India has brought new e-waste rules
2011, into force on May 2012.but still 90% has been handled by the informal
sector that rampantly follow unscientific and unsafe methods for dealing with
e-waste. As for state wise rank Andhra Pradesh got 3rd position in
generating of e-waste according to discarded e-waste in country in 2012.
They are some many impacts of e-waste
products in human health like cutting and burning in process of dismantling,
shredding, acid baths etc. it also affected liver and kidneys.
The main source of electronic waste in
India are the government, public and private (industrial) sectors which account
for almost 70 per cent of total waste generation. Our first Prime Minister
Jawaharlal Nehru has said in 1961 that the pace of change in the world was
greater due to new avenues was opening with application of electronics, atomic
energy etc. electronic industries took place in India took off around 1965 with
an orientation towards space and technologies. The mainly consuming electronic
products at initial are black and white televisions, radios and audios products
etc.
Since the 1990s, the India economy moved
away from being tightly regulated by the government to the regime of
liberalization and opening up to the global economy. India economy has
witnessed significant growth in the last two decades. The IT has contributed
significantly to the overall growth. In the recent years, the electronic
industry has been growing very rapidly.
Objectives of the Study To find the out
awareness of e-waste among the graduates ,To find the out awareness regarding
the products and materials used in e-waste , To find out the methods preferred
for disposal and management of materials regarding the e-waste products, To
find out about the most frequently used electrical/electronic products, To find
out the awareness regarding government laws and policies on e-waste that are
currently implemented in India.
To outreach the objectives of the
research, a questionnaire was prepared in order to assess their knowledge
Perception and Practices regarding E-waste. A study was conducted among 210
respondents. Data collected was analyzed using SPSS Software. The present study
was conducted in areas like Yendada, Sagarnagar, Madhurawada, Arilova and
Pedhawaltair in Visakhapatnam. Stratified random sampling has been used for the
selection of sample. Out of 210 samples a list 20 samples has been included in
which 30 samples has been send to
respondents through mail questionnaire method eventually only 20
responses has been received after then it was planned to select the remaining
190 samples randomly by surveying the
respondents who come under the categories of
B.sc, B.com, B.A, B. tech and B.B.A.
Results
and Discussions: In the study 67. 6 percent were aware about e-waste and
32.4 percent not aware about e-waste.
Hence it is conclude that the respondents who aware about e-waste are
more than the respondents who not aware about e-waste. 7.61 percent are
choosing metal/glass/wood as e-waste products, 79.04 percent are choosing
mobile/laptop/printer as e-waste products, 8.09 percent are choosing plastic
/rubber/paper as e-waste products and 5.23 are choosing plant products as
e-waste products. Hence it conclude that the respondents who aware about the
products which are come under e – waste are more than who not aware about the
products used in e-waste. 29.52 percent were not much aware about the materials
used in e-waste, 19.04 percent know quite a lot about the materials used in
e-waste and 27.14 know a bit about the materials used in the e-waste. Hence it
is conclude that the respondents who were not much aware about the materials
used in e-waste are more than the
respondents who were not known, know quite a lot and know a bit about
the materials used in the e-waste. , 34.28 percent were not aware about the
hazardous fraction in e-waste need a special treatment in order to be safely
disposed and 65.71 percent were aware about it hence it is conclude that the
respondents who were aware about the hazardous fraction in e-waste more than
the respondents who were not aware about the hazardous fraction in e-waste.
22.85 percent are choose in that there is know any policy present, 62.85
percent were not aware about the policies present on e-waste, 14.28 percent
were aware about some other related government policies present on e-waste.
Hence it is conclude that the respondents who were not aware about the policies
present on e-waste are more than the others. 45.71 percent were purchasing 1 to
3 electronic products, 10 percent were purchasing 4 to 6 electronic products and
2.85 percent respondents were purchasing more than 6 electronic products in a
year. Hence it is conclude that the respondents who were purchasing 1 to 3
electronic products in a year are more than the other respondents. 35.23
percent spend less than 10000 on electronic products, 40.95 percent spend 10000
to 20000 on electronic products, 17.14 percent spend 20000 to 30000 on
electronic products and 6.66 percent spend more than 30000 on electronic
products in a year. Hence it is conclude that the respondents who were spend
20000 to 30000 on electronic products are more than the other respondents.
Major
Findings of the Study: The major findings of the study are as following,
After analyzing the percentage score of having heard the word ‘e-waste’.
Majority of the students had heard this term..some of them were totally
ignorant about this word. Present study showed that there is some lack of
awareness about e-wastes and its management among the student. In this era of
cybernetics, young generation is being influenced by ‘cyberphilia’ (extreme
love and fondness for technology). As a result, worldwide e-wastes are
generated uncontrolled and unchecked.
Most of the students were aware that
mobile/laptop/printer as e-waste products and very few of them were choosing
plant products as e-waste products.
Most of the students do not throw away the
outdated games. They like to store their games and this is because they
themselves observe their parents storing old appliances in their storerooms,
major percent of them are throwing household domestic and e-wastes outside
their premises to be burned in open air. It demands a major shift in people’s
selfish attitude, not concerned about the serious negative impact on the
ambience of residential neighbourhood.
37.1% agreed to sell their old gadgets to
buy new and latest ones. We have websites which sell second hand materials at
attractive prices. It is worth noting that 14.8% of students are inclined in
disposing off their gadgets in recycling centre. 31% found it difficult to repair their
e-waste products because of price f repair compare with replacing.
Majority of respondents are influenced to
e-waste products because of their new and advanced features.
Among all e-waste products it is found
that a very highest percent of respondents i.e. 80.5 % are using mobiles, hence
the impact of mobiles are more than other e-waste products.
Many of them are not aware about
governmental laws and policies of environmental protection , also they lack the
knowledge regarding the special laws framed exclusively for e-waste and its
handling.
Policy
Implications: As many respondents were not
even aware of ‘e-waste’ term so it is the responsibility of the teacher to
impart the basic knowledge related to e-waste.
Study curriculum should be revised in
terms of environmental education and it should include e-waste chapter in
textbook.
Educating students about 3 Rs that is Recycle, Reduce and Reuse. Emphasizing on the economic, social and environmental benefits of recycling, reducing and reusing
Encouraging the students and community
members to donate their old computers, mobile phones, printers etc. to
non-profit organization or charities center. The youth waste management
practices is crucial because this tech savy generation contributes to the waste
menace and they are also responsible in providing creative solutions to solve
the near future environmental waste issues. Children need to have the
appropriate orientation, the required skills, positive attitude and commitment
to take the initiative towards solving existing environmental problems and
preventing new ones to arise in other to live sustainably.
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