Computer Hardware Updates: 05/06/09

 

INTEGRATED E-WASTE MANAGEMENT
The Economic Times (Delhi edition)  Hindustan Times (Delhi edition)  

Rapid urbanisation has accelerated the usage of electronic products in recent times. Consequently, disposal of obsolete goods in a safe and responsible manner is critical.

Electronic waste or 'e-waste' consists of electronic products that have become obsolete due to advancement in technology. India's e-waste generation is growing at 15 percent and is expected to cross the 800,000 tonne mark by 2012. According to a 2007 Greenpeace report, only 3 percent of e-waste made it to authorised recyclers' facilities.

Organised recycling of this hazardous waste is the only answer to this problem. Attero Recycling, India's only integrated or end-to-end electronic waste (e-waste) recycling company has now become the first e-waste recycler to be registered with the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India. Attero provides complete e-waste solutions and services from collection to disposal and has built its business model on ethical e-waste management.

Attero Recycling was incorporated in 2008 to manage the challenges of sustainable solutions to managing e-waste. With a state-of-the-art plant operational in Roorkee, Attero has a pan India presence with offices in Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore and Chennai

 

GO GREEN: LATEST CORPORATE BUZZWORD
New Delhi
The Times of India

Going green is the new corporate buzzword. In recent months, several companies have taken steps towards creating a more environment-friendly business model and raising global awareness over ecological concerns. However, green activists are far from impressed.

As part of a mobile waste management drive, Nokia India has set up over 1,300 recycling bins across Bangalore, Delhi, Gurgaon and Ludhiana since January, 2009. The campaign collected over three tonnes of waste, including 10,000 handsets, within the first 45 days of its launch, says Ambrish Bakaya of Nokia India.

Similarly, Western Digital has designed an eco-friendly GreenPower hard drive. "The drive enables energy-conservative systems like PCs, server and consumer electronics with higher capacities," says Sharad Srivastava of Western Digital.

Reiterating the message that every small step makes a lot of difference in preserving earth's resources, a music channel this week released a two-minute video with a public message brought home by popular VJ Cyrus Sahukar. The video ends with Sahukar listing ways of making a difference such as taking shorter showers and planting trees.

Philips Electronics India has called for a phasing-out of the incandescent light bulb as well as the introduction of a green logo on consumer electronic products. "We are constantly taking concrete steps to become a greener company," says Rajiv Chopra, head of lighting for Philips. Green products form 15% of Philips' revenue stream.

Patni Computer Systems' centre in Noida has zero blinds and uses natural light and heat from fin shaped natural light reflectors. "The two upcoming facilities in Hyderabad and Pune will also be developed on green architecture," says Anirudh Patni.

However, award-winning wildlife filmmaker Mike Pandey says that corporate houses must take the blame for current ecological disorders and bemoans the lack of strong initiatives. "You are taking from earth and plundering its natural resources like oceans and rivers. The illusionary bubble of global economy has collapsed. Our future will come from the food and environment we live in. And that's where their money should be invested. Much more needs to be done," he says.