GUEST COLUMN
Radhika Kalia
Technology continues to empower us and at the same time, threatens our existence with its discarded trail. Globally, over 60 million tonnes of electronic waste is generated every year, and India now ranks third, producing approximately 3.2 million tonnes.
While Germany recycles 52 per cent of its e-waste and China 16 per cent, India recycles just one per cent. A large percentage of the nation’s e-waste remains either uncollected or processed informally, posing serious environmental and health risks. That said, the current scenario is not one of just crisis, it is also one of opportunity.
E-waste is toxic, and when handled unsafely and irresponsibly, it may lead to severe and negative consequences to health. However, e-waste is also a source of immense value; it is rich in gold, silver, copper, lithium, cobalt, and rare-earth elements. When recovered scientifically and responsibly, these materials decrease pressure on virgin resources, reduce mining burden, and support the circular economy. Appropriate recycling can thus turn discarded electronic items into raw material for a clean-energy transition.
This duality of danger and potential was reflected recently when the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) seized Rs 23 crore worth of smuggled e-waste at Mumbai’s Nhava Sheva port. Over 17,000 laptops, 11,000 mini-CPUs, and 7,000 processor chips were disguised as aluminium scrap. Such incidents point towards two truths: 1) that e-waste is being illegally traded because it has value; and 2) that such illegal imports jeopardize both human health and genuine domestic recyclers.
India is challenged not by an absence of policy but by weak implementation. The E-Waste (Management) Rules 2022 mandate Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) and list 106 categories of electronic items requiring regulated handling. Yet, most recycling is still done by the informal sector, often through practices such as acid leaching or open burning.
Encouragingly, there has been some visible change in scenario. The Delhi government’s e-waste eco-park at Holambi Kalan, whose capacity was recently doubled to 1,10,000 metric tonnes per year, aims to become India’s first integrated e-waste park. It will operate on zero-waste principles—no burning, no untreated discharge, and complete material recovery. The project also promises green jobs, training for informal workers, and public-private partnerships to sustain long-term operations.
Similarly, the Greater Noida Authority has launched a scientific disposal initiative, empanelling firms to collect e-waste directly from citizens and offering monetary incentives for surrendered devices. In the south, the Ongole Municipal Corporation (Andhra Pradesh) recently dispatched 3.72 tonnes of e-waste to authorized recyclers under the Swachha Andhra–Swarna Andhra programme. Such initiatives are encouraging signs of responsible action.
At the national level, the Ministry of Law and Justice has begun cataloguing obsolete electronic items for certified recycling under Special Campaign 5.0 to ensure that even government departments set an example of compliance. Simultaneously, Union Minister G. Kishan Reddy’s Pan-India E-Waste Recycling Drive seeks to link this effort with the National Critical Minerals Mission, emphasising resource recovery to reduce import dependence and contribute towards India’s transition to clean energy.
These measures signal a fundamental transition in perspective; e-waste is increasingly being seen as strategic resource stock and not merely “refuse”.
No policy can succeed without the cooperation and involvement of people. Citizens must embrace the “repair, reuse, and return” ethos. Manufacturers, on their part, must design for disassembly and ensure that battery recycling, plastic and glass recovery, and metal extraction occur in certified facilities that protect workers and ecosystems alike. To illustrate, battery waste, especially lithium-based, forms a vital component of the broader e-waste challenge. Companies like RLG Systems India support producers in meeting their Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) obligations by enabling responsible collection and recycling of lithium battery waste. Such efforts reduce reliance on imported recycling equipment, and advance the nation’s circular economy goals. One hopes that as citizens and organizations become more aware and responsible, and as the Centre drives pan-India e-waste collection, we would stand ready to witness and steer the next phase of a unified, transparent, and technology-enabled recycling network.
(The author is managing director of RLG Systems India Pvt Ltd. Views expressed are personal)
