Anand Mahindra stands in support of proposed EU legislation for common charger for devices

Anand Mahindra, the Chairman of Mahindra Group has supported the EU’s proposal to pass legislation that mandates smartphone manufacturers to adopt a shared charging cable standard.

While responding to World Economic Forum (WEF) video report shared by Twitter user Erik Solheim (@ErikSolheim), he said that the issue is a “big deal” for people who are forced to carry multiple chargers for different devices. He further added that this proposed regulation will curb e-waste generation.

“This seems like such a trivial issue but frankly a big deal for those who have to carry multiple chargers if you have more than one device. This is a breathtakingly simple proposal made more urgent due to the sword of electronic waste hanging over us,” Mahindra had tweeted.

As per WEF report, every year, the EU generates 12.3 million tonnes of electronic waste. One of the reasons behind it could be use of multiple chargers. The European Parliament, in January, had voted in an overwhelming majority -- 582 to 40 votes – for a resolution to adopt a common charger across all devices. Lawmakers are expected to table the draft legislation by July, as per news report.

The proposal has gained criticism from phone manufacturers including Apple.

It may be an added cost to smartphone manufacturers and they may also need to re-design the charging system for their respective models. Some also argue that the move could generate additional e-waste as manufacturers abruptly switch to a common design. It could also harm developing countries as most of the e-waste is sent to them, says news report.

European lawmakers have argued that wireless chargers could be a solution, according to the WEF report. This would make life easier for consumers, it has been argued.