FAQs
What does ENVIS stands for?
ENVIS Stands for Environment Information System.
What is ENVIS?
ENVIS is a decentralized system with a network of distributed subject oriented centers ensuring integration of national efforts in environmental information collection, collation, storage, retrieval and dissemination to all concerned. The focus of ENVIS since inception has been on providing environmental information to decision makers, policy planners, scientists and engineers, research workers, etc. all over the country.
What is the total number of ENVIS centres?
There are total 76 Envis Centres all over India, which are assigned with different subjects and topics.
Where can we get details of other Envis centres?
The details and list of other Envis centres can be obtained from the website of Environment Information System. http://www.envis.nic.in
What is E-Waste?
"Electronic waste" or "E-Waste" may be defined as discarded electrical and electronic equipment such as computers, office electronic equipment, entertainment device electronics, mobile phones, television sets, and refrigerators.What are the Environmental impacts of E-Waste?
E-waste like TVs Computer Monitor contains Lead, barium and other heavy metals when not properly dumped leaches into the ground water and releasing toxic phosphor.Plastics from printers, keyboards, monitors, etc. when openly burned emits brominated dioxins, heavy metals, and hydrocarbons.
Air water and soil are contaminated due to the improper handling of e-waste.
What is Biomedical Waste?
Biomedical waste is any kind of waste containing infectious materials from medical or laboratory origin (e.g., packaging, unused bandages, infusion kits, etc as well research laboratory waste containing biomolecules or organisms that are restricted from environmental release. Biomedical waste also includes human anatomical waste (such as, tissues, organs, body parts etc.
What are the Environmental impacts of Biomedical waste?
Regarding the health care workers, three infections are most commonly transmitted: hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), and human immunodeficiency (HIV) virus.
Also, the workers involved in the collection and treatment of the biomedical waste are exposed to a certain risk.
What are the diseases caused by E-waste and Biomedical waste?
Toxic substances like cadmium, palladium, rhodium and lead solder if thrown away without being recycled, can leak into the environment leading to contamination. It can also cause diseases such as nervous system damage, damage of the heart, kidneys, liver, as well as skin and bone diseases.
The most commonly transmitted diseases caused due to improper handling of Biomedical wastes are hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), and human immunodeficiency (HIV) virus.
What is the Present Status of E-waste?
The current e-waste generation pattern is 1.7 million tons / annum, with an alarming growth rate of 15% each year. The major concern in terms of management of e-waste is, more than 90% of the available E-waste continued to be recycled in the informal sector, in the by-lanes of cities and towns.
With 1.7 million tonnes of e-waste generated annually (2014 record), India is the fifth largest generator of e-waste globally with an unorganised market of about 95 per cent dealing with e-waste.
NorthEast: In a report released by Toxic Link associate, it was confirmed that Assam produces approximately 14,000 tons of e-waste. Meghalaya's capital city Shillong generates roughly 446 tons of e-waste annually
What is the Present Status Biomedical waste?
Quantity of Biomedical waste (kg/bed/day) in India 0.3 to 1.0 kg. Approximately 92.3% i.e., 447 out of 484 Tons per day bio-medical waste generated is being treated and disposed of either through 198 no. of Common Bio-medical Waste Treatment Facilities or captive treatment equipment installed by the HCFs.
The details of quantum of bio-medical wastes generation in the country during 2011, 2012 and 2013, as per information provided by Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) are given below:-
| Year | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bio-medical Waste Generation | 4,15,429 | 4,16,824 | 4,84,271 |
What is the solution to handle E-Waste?
- Recycling of E-waste like rejected electronics materials such as monitors, keyboards, laptops, hard drives, connecting wires and cables etc., by extracting the working components.
- Reusing of E-waste like computers and mobile phones after modifications and repairs.
- Landfill is also one method for E-waste disposal although it can invariably pose serious threats to the environment.
- Incineration : A controlled combustion process in which the waste material is burned in specially designed incinerators at a very high temperature.
What is the solution to handle Biomedical waste?
Biomedical waste should be collected in containers that are leak-proof and sufficiently strong to prevent breakage during handling.
Incineration of pathogens and sharps.
An autoclave uses steam and pressure to sterilize the waste or reduce its microbiological load to a level at which it may be safely disposed of.
What are the Government Schemes for E-Waste and Biomedical waste management?
The Ministry of Environment and Forests is implementing a Central Sector Scheme (CSS) to provide financial assistance for setting up of common treatment and disposal facilities for environmentally sound disposal of hazardous, bio-medical wastes and recycling and treatment facilities for e-wastes on Public Private Partnership (PPP) basis.
Establishment of common treatment and disposal facilities for hazardous wastes, viz.,
- Treatment, Storage and Disposal Facilities (TSDFs),
- Secured Land Fills (SLFs),
- Integrated E-Waste Recycling and Treatment Facilities and Common Bio-Medical Waste Treatment and Disposal Facilities (CBMWTDFs)
What are the Achievements of the Government?
It encourages setting up of integrated TSDF for hazardous waste management on Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode
- 28 TSDF have been set up
- Centre has provided financial assistance
- Memorandum of Understanding signed between MOEF,SPCB and entrepreneur
- Utilization certificate and progress report taken annually
Waste smart cities with decentralised waste management.
In Velachery, India, public school students were given orientations on e-waste recycling. The steps on how electronic waste can accumulate in different parts of the home, in school and all other areas were identified. The motivation of purchasing gadgets was broken down, encouraging lesser consumption of these products.