E-waste collection faces gaps as informal sector plays huge role

Home » E-waste collection faces gaps as informal sector plays huge role

Definition: E-waste = discarded electronic & electrical equipment (EEE) like mobiles, laptops, fridges, batteries.
India’s Position: World’s 3rd largest generator of e-waste (after China & USA).
Quantum: 4.17 million metric tonnes in 2022 → surged 73% by 2023-24 to 7.23 MMT approx (official + unofficial).

Relevance

GS-3 (Environment & Ecology, Economy):
◦ E-waste management, circular economy, sustainable resource recovery.
◦ Strategic materials (rare earths), reducing import dependency, domestic recycling potential.
GS-2 (Governance):
◦ E-Waste Management Rules, Extended Producer Responsibility, policy compliance and audits.

Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR): Manufacturers responsible for collection & recycling of end-of-life products.
E-Waste Management Rules, 2016 (amended 2022): Formalized collection targets, introduced EPR certificates, banned unscientific dismantling.
₹1,500 crore mineral recycling scheme (2025): To boost rare earths & strategic metals recovery.
CPCB Portal: Tracks EPR compliance & audits.

Informal Sector Dominance: Handles 90–95% of e-waste via unsafe methods (open burning, acid leaching).
Low Formal Recycling: Only ~43% of e-waste recycled formally despite growth in facilities.
Health Hazards: Informal workers exposed to lead, cadmium, mercury, brominated plastics.
Data Gaps: No uniform inventory system; mismatch in national vs global estimates.
Paper Trading under EPR: Fake reporting of recycling for incentives.
Traceability Issues: Lack of downstream tracking of recovered materials → leakage back into informal streams.

Resource Value: E-waste contains copper, aluminum, gold, silver, palladium, rare earth elements (REEs).
Supply Chain Risks: Global fragility + China’s curbs on REE exports heighten India’s strategic vulnerability.
Potential: India could meet 70% of REE demand in 18 months with strong policy & industry integration (Attero).
Circular Economy Gap: Repair-focused informal operations prevent materials recovery → undermines resource security.

Livelihoods: Informal sector employs ~95% of workforce in e-waste handling.
Integration Need: Skilling, EPR floor pricing, and cooperative models needed for inclusion.
Best Practice: “Mandi-style” aggregation models by firms like Attero to link informal collectors with formal recyclers.

Inventory & Audits: Standardized national inventory; third-party audits for EPR compliance.
Technology Scale-up: Investment in hydrometallurgical & pyrometallurgical recycling facilities.
Integration of Informal Sector: Training, social security, microcredit, buy-back systems.
EPR Reform: Floor pricing for EPR credits; strict penalties for paper trading.
Policy Push: Incentivize domestic rare-earth recycling to reduce import dependence.
Awareness & Consumer Role: Incentives for take-back, deposit-refund systems, repair-to-recycle pipelines.