E-waste recycling business in India: Problem, Opportunities

India is one of the largest waste importing countries in the world. It generates about 350000 tonnes of electronic waste every year and imports another 50000 tonnes. More than 90% of the E-Waste generated in the country end up in the unorganized market for recycling and disposal .The unorganized sector mainly consists of the urban slums of the metros and mini metros where recycling operations are carried out by the unskilled employees using the most rudimentary methods to reduce cost and Workers face dangerous working conditions as they may be without protection like gloves or masks.

E-Waste Generation in India

Out of total E-Waste volume in India –

· Television — 68%

· Desktop, Server — 27%

· Imports — 2%

· Mobile — 1%

-Despite 23 units currently registered with Govt. of India, Ministry of Environment and Forest / Central Pollution Control Board, as E-Waste recyclers / preprocessors the entire recycling process more or less still exists in the unorganized sector.

· There are 10 states that contribute to 70% of the total E-Waste generated in the country.

· 65 cities generate more than 60% of the total E-Waste in India.

· Among the top ten cities generating E-Waste, Mumbai ranks first followed by Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Pune, Surat & Nagpur.

· Main source of electronic waste in India are the government, public and private (Industrial) sectors — 70% — Contribution of individual house hold

· 15% — Rest being contributed by manufacturers.

With an annual growth rate of 7.17 percent, India’s waste management industry is predicted to be worth US$13.62 billion. Most of the waste that India generates simply ends up in landfills without proper recycling or treatment, opening up new investment opportunities by redirecting this untapped waste to proper treatment and processing facilities.

E-waste problem in India

India ranks 177 among 180 countries and ranks among the bottom five in the Environmental Performance Index 2018, according to a study released at the World Economic Forum 2018. In the 12th edition of the biennial Environment Efficiency Index, India obtained 168 positions in 2020. (EPI Index 2020). This was correlated with low results due to air pollution categories in public protection policies and deaths. Moreover, after the United States, China, Japan and Germany, India ranks fifth in the world among the top e-waste generating countries, and formally recycles less than 2 percent of the total e-waste produced annually. That is. Ever since 2018, Every year, India produces more than two million tons of e-waste and also imports significant volumes of e-waste from other countries around the world. In open dumpsites, dumping is a typical scenario that leads to problems such as pollution of groundwater, poor health and more. The Related Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham) and KPMG report, Electronic Waste Management in India, found that computer equipment accounts for approximately 70% of e-waste, followed by telecommunications equipment (12%) and electrical equipment (8%). And leftover medical equipment from household e-waste (7 percent). E-waste generation, storage, manufacturing and recycling dominate the informal market. This field is well and irregularly networked. All resources and values that could possibly be retrieved are also not recovered. In addition, the release of toxins into the atmosphere and the protection and health of workers are serious concerns. The largest hub of e-waste disruption in India is Seelampur in Delhi. Both adults and children spend 8–10 hours per day removing from the machinery reusable components and precious metals such as copper, gold and other functional pieces. Processes like open incineration and acid-leaching are used for e-waste recyclers. By raising awareness and enhancing the infrastructure of recycling units with current policies, this situation can be improved. An unorganized sector handles much of the e-waste collected in India. In addition, informal electronics recycling/reuse outlets such as repair shops, used device dealers, vendors of e-commerce portals collect a large proportion of discarded electronics for parts and components reuse and cannibalization.

E-waste management opportunities in India

In 2016, e-waste (management) regulations were introduced by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change to decrease e-waste production and increase recycling. The government implemented the EPR under these regulations, which makes producers accountable for collecting 30 percent to 70 percent (over seven years) of the produced e-waste, the study said.

Integration of the informal sector into a transparent recycling system is important for better control of environmental and human health impacts. Some efforts have been made towards integrating the existing informal sector into the emerging landscape. Organizations such as GIZ have developed alternative business models under the guidance of the informal sector association towards authority. These business models promote a city-wide collection system, feeding a strategy for the best available technology facilities to derive high revenue from manual dismantling facilities and high-circuit circuit boards. Replacing the traditional wet chemical leaching process for gold recovery with exports to integrated smelters and refineries, safer practices and more revenue per unit of e-waste collected is generated.

E-waste is a rich source of metals such as gold, silver and copper, which can be recovered and brought back into the production cycle. E-waste has significant economic potential in efficient recovery of valuable materials and can provide income-generating opportunities for both individuals and enterprises. The E-waste Management Rules, 2016 was amended by the Government in March 2018 to facilitate and effectively implement environmentally sound management of e waste recycling business in India. The amended rules modify collection targets under the provision of EPR with effect from October 1, 2017. Through the revised targets and monitoring under the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), effective and better management of e-waste will be ensured.

The conclusion

E-waste management is a major challenge for governments of many developing countries like India. It is becoming a major public health issue and is increasing day by day. To collect, effectively treat and dispose of e-waste, as well as divert it from traditional landfills and open water, it is necessary to integrate the informal sector with the formal sector. Competent authorities in developing and transition countries need to put in place mechanisms to deal with and treat e-waste in a safe and sustainable manner.

Information campaigns, capacity building and awareness raising are important to promote environmentally friendly e-waste management programs. Urgent efforts are needed on the improvement of existing practices such as collection plans and management practices to reduce the illegal trade of e-waste. Reducing the amount of hazardous substances in e-products will also have a positive impact in dealing with specific e-waste streams as it will support the prevention process