Students lead e-waste drive, spread message on safe disposal

The drive followed an awareness session conducted last month by environmental educator Pankaj Nageshkar

A growing volume of discarded electronic gadgets and plastic waste is finding its way into landfills despite containing materials that can be recycled or safely processed. To raise awareness about responsible disposal and recycling, a city school on Thursday organised an e-waste and plastic collection drive, urging students to bring obsolete electronic devices and recyclable plastic from their homes instead of throwing them away with household garbage.

The initiative was organised by SPM English School in Sadashiv Peth in collaboration with Poornam Ecovision Foundation. (HT PHOTO)

The initiative was organised by SPM English School in Sadashiv Peth in collaboration with Poornam Ecovision Foundation. Students from Standards I to X collected old chargers, cables, earphones, keyboards, computer accessories and other unusable electronic items, along with recyclable plastic waste, which will now be handed over to authorised recyclers for scientific processing.

The drive followed an awareness session conducted last month by environmental educator Pankaj Nageshkar, who explained that electronic waste contains hazardous substances that can contaminate soil and water and pose risks to human health if disposed of improperly. He also highlighted the importance of reducing single-use plastics, segregating waste at source and ensuring e-waste reaches authorised recycling facilities where valuable materials can be recovered safely.

School principal Rama Kulkarni said, “Exposing children to such initiatives at an early age helps build responsible habits and encourages them to spread awareness about sustainable waste management within their families and communities.”

The programme sought to combine classroom learning with practical action, reinforcing the message that proper e-waste disposal is as important as reducing plastic consumption, Kulkarni said.