Latest News | E[co]work Starts 21,000-sq Ft Co-working Centre for E-waste Dismantlers in Ghaziabad

New Delhi, Oct 17 (PTI) Social enterprise E[co]work on Tuesday started a co-working centre in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh for micro-entrepreneurs, dismantlers, and recyclers in the e-waste sector in a bid to institutionalise e-waste management.

The company has taken 21,000 square feet area on lease at Meerut Road Industrial Area in Ghaziabad, said Deepali Sinha Khetriwal, co-founder of E[co]work.

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She claimed this is world's first co-working space for re-cyclers.

"The licensed facility is equipped with dismantling units, storage spaces, tables, tools, office and meeting rooms, equipment, and washrooms to offer the informal e-waste sector a space dedicated to dignifying and formalizing their work," she said.

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Many companies involved in e-waste management have evinced interest in setting up their base in this co-working facilities, she said.

Khetriwal hoped that 50 per cent of its co-working facilities would be occupied by March next year.

"We are driven with the purpose of connecting the formal and informal sectors, empowering micro-entrepreneurs, and creating effective solutions for safe and inclusive resource recovery. We see ourselves as catalysts that bring together the physical, social, and digital elements to drive change for a more sustainable, inclusive, and circular world," she said.

The co-working space provides plug-and-play units for a seamless work experience.

In India, the majority of e-waste is handled by the informal sector often under inferior conditions. While the sector provides livelihoods for many families, it also often negatively impacts the environment and workers' health.

Ashish Tiwari, secretary, Department of Environment, Forest and Climat Change, Uttar Pradesh, said there is a need for opening of more such facilities across the state and also different parts of India.

He pointed out that three million tonnes of e-waste is generated in India per year and around 85 per cent of the waste is handled by informal sector.

"In a digital age, e-waste has become a significant environmental concern for its improper disposal and poses serious threats to our planet, releasing hazardous materials and contributing to pollution," Sandip Chatterjee, Senior Director, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, said.

E[co]work is a social enterprise that aims to bring circularity and inclusivity to the e-waste recycling sector in India through a disruptive model of pay-as-you-go co-working spaces.

In addition to the physical infrastructure in a licensed facility, the company would start a digital platform to connect materials to markets, providing recyclers access to e-waste and dismantlers access to a larger client base.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)