In the world, e-waste is growing at a 30 percent compound annual growth rate (CAGR). According to ASSOCHAM, one of India’s apex trade organizations, e-waste generation was 1.8 million tonnes per year in 2016 and is expected to hit 5.2 million tonnes per year by 2021.
There are now 178 registered e-waste recyclers (e-waste recycling business) in India, with state governments approving them to process e-waste. However, many e-waste recyclers in India aren’t recycling waste at all. According to a report by the Union Environment Ministry, some are storing it in dangerous conditions, while others lack the capacity to manage such waste.
Initiatives to Raise E-Waste Management Awareness
Since 2015, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has collaborated with industry associations to launch an e-waste awareness campaign under Digital India to raise public awareness about the dangers of e-waste recycling in the unorganized sector and to educate them about alternative methods of e-waste disposal.
The programme emphasizes the importance of e-waste recycling activities that are environmentally sustainable. The programme has implemented the best e-waste recycling practices available worldwide, so that this sector can create employment and viable business opportunities for locals.
Waste Recycling Technologies Are Developing.
The MeitY has developed inexpensive technologies to recycle useful materials and plastics in an environmentally sound manner, including two unique PCB recycling technologies with appropriate environmental standards, namely 1000 kg/day capacity (35 MT e-waste) and 100kg/batch (3.5MT e-waste).
The 1000kg PCB/day continuous process plant will be used to build an eco-park in the country, while the 100kg PCB/batch process plant could be used in the informal sector. This could be accomplished by improving and changing the current condition of the informal economy.
The developed process can turn the majority of waste plastics (76%) into suitable materials that can be used to make virgin plastic items. The technology has already been passed to the private sector for commercialization.
The high-grade metals in e-waste, such as gold, silver, copper, and palladium, can be isolated for resale in completely safe conditions.
