What is the Scope of E-waste Recycling in India?
With the ever-rising demand for new technologies, and the rapidly rising issue of e-waste, e-waste recycling has become the need of the hour.
In today’s blog, we will be discussing the nature and scope of e-waste recycling in India.
E-waste Scenario in India
Before discussing the scope of e-waste recycling in India, let us first look into the current scenario regarding e-waste in India.
According to a report published by the Global E-Waste Monitor 2017, India generates about 2 million tonnes (MT) of e-waste, making it the fifth-largest e-waste producing country after the US, China, Japan, and Germany.
Considering the size and population of our country compared to countries like the US and China, this report is alarming as most of the e-waste ends up in landfills. Because once the e-waste is dumped in landfills, the toxic chemicals in them contaminate the land, leaving it unfit for any other purpose. And in a country with such a high population and high dependence on agriculture, it is a matter o great concern.
Thus, e-waste recycling seems to be the only logical solution to manage this rapidly growing issue of e-waste management.
Issues with E-waste Recycling
Even though e-waste recycling seems to be a practical solution to manage the issue of e-waste management, even it is not free of problems.
To begin with, most of the e-waste recyclers in India do not recycle the e-waste. Instead, they simply collect e-waste from customers and dump it in landfills.
So, what is the solution?
As the market demand for e-waste recycling services keeps increasing, the scope of getting cheated by such services providers also increases. In order to avoid this, one should always look for e-waste recyclers that have proper certification, for example, the R2V3 certificate.
Another issue that arises when giving old electronic devices for recycling is data security-related concerns. A lot of times, people are reluctant to give their devices for e-waste recycling as they are concerned that some sensitive data in their old devices might be leaked.
There is a solution for this as well. If you are concerned about the safety of your data, all you need to do is look for an e-waste recycler that offers ITAD services. ITAD, which stands for IT Asset Disposition, is a part of the e-waste recycling process that ensures all the data in your old device is erased using data degaussing.
Last but not least, many people avoid e-waste recycling as they hope to make some money by reselling their old devices. But when you opt for an experienced and well-established e-waste recycler, the incentive for recycling your e-waste is not limited to protecting the environment, but you also get monetary compensation.
Scope of E-waste Recycling in India
Now that we understand the significance, issues, and solutions related to e-waste recycling in India, let us look into the scope of e-waste recycling.
According to a report on e-waste presented by the United Nations (UN) in World Economic Forum on January 24, 2019, the waste stream reached 48.5 MT in 2018. This figure is expected to double if nothing changes. With such a large quantity of e-waste being generated each year, the future of e-waste recycling in India looks pretty bright.
Legislature has also given a boost to e-waste recycling in India. Even though the laws to manage e-waste have been in place in India since 2011, it was amended further, giving only authorized dismantlers and recyclers the right to collect e-waste.
The E-waste (Management) Rules, 2016, enacted on October 1, 2017, added over 21 products (Schedule-I) under the purview of the rule.
It also extended its purview to components or consumables or parts or spares of Electrical and Electronic Equipment (EEE), along with their products. Additionally, the concept of Producer Responsibility Organisation (PRO) was also added to strengthen EPR further.
Thus, there is considerable scope for e-waste recycling in India. It is not only a solution to help mitigate e-waste management issues, but it also helps to generate employment. With the rise in e-waste recycling plants, the demand for employees with all levels of qualification and skills also increases. Recycling e-waste also helps recover precious metals like gold, silver, cobalt, etc. This is especially useful for India as it has to depend on other countries to meet its metal requirements. And as a bonus, recycled metals are also 2 to 10 times more energy-efficient than metals smelted from virgin ore.
If you are an individual or a business looking to recycle your e-waste, you can reach us at contact@greentekreman.com to learn more about GreenTek Reman and seek guidance related to e-waste recycling services.
