India faces significant e-waste challenges, ranking third globally with ~6.19 MMT generated in 2024, losing recoverable materials worth ₹51,000 crore annually.
Weak enforcement, informal recycling (10% formal rate), and narrow EPR focus on basic metals hinder effective e-waste management.
Government initiatives like E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2022, BWMR, 2022, and NCMM aim to strengthen EPR, promote advanced recycling, and integrate informal workers.
In Summary
At the Paryavaran NITI Manthan, policymakers flagged gaps in Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) implementation as India loses recoverable e-waste materials worth nearly ₹51,000 crore.
Status of India’s E-Waste
India is 3rd largest e-waste generator globally.
E-waste generation increased from ~2.76 MMT (2020) to ~6.19 MMT (2024)
Projected to reach 14 MMT by 2030.
Issues related to E-Waste Management in India
Weak Enforcement: Allows spurious and non-operational recyclers to distort EPR markets through fraudulent certification.
Informalization: India’s formal recycling rate is 10%, compared to global average (~22%), and USA (56%).
Narrow focus: EPR coverage in E-waste recycling is limited to Gold, Copper, Iron, and Aluminum.
Other issues: Low skills; accessibility of advanced recycling processes; collection inefficiencies; low consumer awareness etc.
Government Measures for E-waste management
E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2022: Strengthened EPR framework for producers and recyclers.
EPR E-Waste portal & Trading Platform: Developed by CPCB for registration, tracking and monitoring of e-waste, along with EPR certificate trading mechanisms.
Battery Waste Management Rules (BWMR), 2022: Mandates collection, recycling, and refurbishment targets, prohibiting landfill disposal and incineration.
National Critical Mineral Mission (NCMM): Aims to develop domestic recycling capacity for critical minerals from lithium-ion batteries, e-waste and industrial scrap.
Way Forward
GST-linked verification: To improve traceability and reduce discrepancies in recycling claims.
Expanding EPR coverage: To other high-value metals and critical minerals.
Promote Advanced Recycling Technologies: Like hydrometallurgy, AI-based material recovery systems etc.
Other measures: Increase authorised collection centres; integrate informal workers through training, certification and financial incentives; etc.
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RELATED TERMS
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Hydrometallurgy
A process of extracting metals using aqueous solutions. In the context of e-waste, it's an advanced recycling technology used to recover valuable metals like copper, gold, and rare earth elements from discarded electronics.
National Critical Mineral Mission (NCMM)
A proposed mission in India focused on critical minerals, with a suggestion to establish a dedicated vertical for recycling within it to address challenges in the e-waste sector.
Battery Waste Management Rules (BWMR), 2022
Indian regulations that mandate collection, recycling, and refurbishment targets for batteries, while prohibiting their disposal in landfills or through incineration.
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