Hyderabad Hands Over Fridges, Coolers As E-Waste

Hyderabad: The two-day e-waste campaign launched by the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) began on Monday; In many colonies, vehicles were put into service and special meters were installed in district offices.

Residents handed over major appliances such as washing machines, refrigerators and air coolers that would otherwise have been dumped in the city’s nalas. Smaller items, such as faulty mobile phones and laptops, had been thrown away before. Collected e-waste, including geysers and dishwashers, is sent to the Dundigal recycling facility.

Baghlingampally resident K. Satish Maher said most of the discarded equipment was too bulky for Swachh Automatic Tipper Vehicles (SATs), which collect garbage door-to-door. “Cars receive cardboard, but due to space constraints, it is not possible to empty refrigerators and coolers. Until now, these were stocked in cellars and balconies,” he said. GHMC commissioner RV Karnan visited the district on Monday.

GHMC additional commissioner (Sanitation) CN Raghu Prasad said e-waste falls into three categories: large appliances like refrigerators and air conditioners, small appliances like mixer-grinders and fans, and IT/telecom equipment like phones, chargers and laptops. “Meters have been installed in every ward and the waste is sent to the Dundigal processing unit operated by Ramky,” he said.

Residents stated that many items had become unusable due to years of neglect, rust or rodent damage, although they could have been repaired sooner. In Khairatabad’s Anand Nagar Colony, residents have finally disposed of old air conditioners that have become beyond repair.

On the first day, GHMC collected 47 metric tonnes of e-waste at 271 locations and used 94 vehicles for driving only. The initiative continues on Tuesday and all collected waste is transported to authorized processing units for scientific disposal.

Meanwhile, GHMC’s special sanitation drive, now on its 12th day, is turning garbage-prone spots into “selfie spots”. Work has been initiated in 300 neighborhoods covering 2,803 areas, including pedestrian bridges, overpasses and parks. During this period, GHMC removed an additional 4,445 metric tonnes of waste, including 3,289 tonnes of municipal solid waste and 1,156 tonnes of construction debris. Approximately 9,000 tonnes of waste are produced daily in the city, making this collection an addition to routine cleaning operations.