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E-Waste and Hazardous Waste in India
State of e-waste: Lethal detritus piling up in India
Context: India has emerged as the third-largest producer of electronic waste (e-waste) globally, after China and the USA. Between 2017-18 and 2023-24, the country’s e-waste surged by 151%, from 708,445 metric tonnes to 1.78 million tonnes.
What is the state of e-Waste?
Electronic waste (e-waste) refers to discarded electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) such as computers, mobiles, TVs, refrigerators, etc., containing toxic metals (lead, mercury, cadmium) and valuable materials (gold, copper, rare earths).
- Massive growth: E-waste generation surged by 147% in seven years—from 0.7 million tonnes in 2017–18 to 1.75 million tonnes in 2023–24.
- Improved recycling: Formal recycling rates rose from 22% in 2019–20 to 43% in 2023–24, and further to 70.7% in 2024–25, thanks to better compliance and infrastructure.
- Untreated waste: Despite progress, 57% of e-waste remained untreated in 2023–24, posing environmental and health risks.
- Hazardous waste overlap: Hazardous waste generation also spiked by 96%, reaching 18.51 million tonnes, with poor compliance in key states like Gujarat.
What are the significant concerns associated with e-Waste?
- Environmental hazards: E-waste contains toxic materials such as lead, mercury, cadmium, arsenic, and brominated flame retardants. Improper disposal contaminates soil, air, and groundwater, causing long-term ecological damage.
- Health risks: Informal sector workers (over 90% of e-waste handled informally in India) suffer from carcinogens and neurotoxins, leading to respiratory problems, neurological damage, cancers, and birth defects.
- Informal sector dominance: Only about 43% of e-waste is processed formally. A large portion of e-waste is processed by unregulated recyclers using crude methods like open burning and acid baths.
- Compliance gaps: Weak enforcement of E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2016 and Battery Waste Management Rules, 2022. Many units fail to submit mandatory returns. Limited monitoring of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) targets.
What measures need to be taken to address the challenges?
- Policy & Regulation: Key measures for better e-waste management include strengthening enforcement of the E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2022, with strict penalties for violations, ensuring Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) by mandating producers to collect and recycle through certified channels, and providing tax incentives to manufacturers who design recyclable and eco-friendly electronics.
- Awareness and Behavioural Change: Consumer campaigns on safe disposal; integration into school curricula. Grassroots models like Bhopal’s Kachra Café (waste-for-food initiatives) should be scaled nationwide, along with robust reverse logistics systems that enable easy take-back of used electronics through retail and service networks.
- Infrastructure & Technology: Key steps include formalising the informal sector by training and integrating waste pickers into formal systems, investing in advanced recycling technologies for safe recovery of metals and components, and decentralising recycling facilities to ensure wider regional access and efficiency.
- Circular Economy Push: E-waste management can be strengthened by promoting refurbishment and reuse through repair and resale to extend product life, and by encouraging urban mining to recover valuable resources like copper, gold, and rare earths from discarded electronics.
