Source: The post India must manage rising e-waste with urgency has been created, based on the article “India’s rising e-waste, the need to recast its management” published in “The Hindu” on 13 May 2025. India must manage rising e-waste with urgency.
UPSC Syllabus Topic: GS Paper 3-Environment and Bio-diversity Conservation
Context: India’s push toward becoming a developed nation is driven by digital expansion and rising electronics use. But this growth has caused a steep rise in e-waste, demanding urgent reforms in pricing and policy to avoid environmental damage and social harm.
For detailed information on New e-waste rules and India’s e-waste challenge read this article here
Rising E-Waste in a Digitally Driven Economy
- Rapid Growth of E-Waste: India’s e-waste increased by 151% in six years — from 7.08 lakh metric tonnes in 2017–18 to 17.78 lakh metric tonnes in 2023–24. The annual increase now stands at 1.69 lakh metric tonnes.
- Technology as a Double-Edged Sword: Widespread use of electronic items like phones, laptops, and medical tools drives progress but also produces vast amounts of e-waste, demanding proper systems to manage it.
Consequences of Poor E-Waste Management
- Environmental Hazards: Toxic substances such as cyanide and sulphuric acid pollute water, while lead fumes, open coal burning, and plastic incineration damage air and soil. These practices degrade soil and threaten ecosystems.
- Social Impact on Informal Workers: Informal recycling is done mainly by women and children. Their exposure to toxic materials reduces life expectancy to under 27 years. The estimated annual social loss from such practices exceeds $20 billion.
- Economic Losses from Informal Sector: India loses ₹80,000 crore annually in critical metals due to crude extraction methods. Another $20 billion is lost in tax revenue because most informal recycling remains unrecorded and cash-based.
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR): A Key Policy Tool
- Concept and Benefits: EPR mandates that producers, importers, and brand owners take responsibility for waste from their products. It supports sustainable design, pricing reform, and shifts burden away from municipalities.
- Shifting Away from Informality: Since 95% of e-waste is handled informally, EPR aims to redirect waste to certified channels, improving health outcomes and accountability.
Introducing Floor Price: Ensuring Market Stability
- Fair Pricing for Recyclers: The E-waste (Management) Rules, 2022 introduced a floor price for EPR certificates. It ensures stable returns for formal recyclers and prevents market collapse.
- Boost to Safe and Modern Recycling: A fixed price encourages investment in clean technology. It improves recovery of metals like gold and copper, reducing landfill and pollution.
- Correcting Informal Cost Advantage: Floor pricing balances the cost gap between formal and informal sectors. It strengthens compliance, reduces leakage, and encourages certified processing.
Countering Concerns and Driving Innovation
- Addressing Cost Criticism: Some argue that floor pricing may raise product prices. But the cost of inaction—pollution, health crises, and lost materials—is far greater than the minor impact on consumer pricing.
- Encouraging Sustainable Product Design: Producers can reduce costs by designing longer-lasting, recyclable products. Globally, EPR fees are higher than India’s floor price, aligning with best practices.
- Learning from Plastic Sector Failure: The plastic sector’s underpricing led to fake recyclers and loss of trust. Floor pricing prevents such risks in e-waste and supports real innovation.
A National Vision for Sustainable Recycling
- Linking Economy and Ecology: Weak pricing harms rivers, soil, crops, and communities. Fair valuation of recycling can reverse damage and promote responsible practices.
- Formalising the Sector for Future Growth: A stable price can transform e-waste into a national resource. It allows India to build infrastructure, ensure compliance, and lead global sustainability efforts.
- A Call for Urgent Action: A 73% surge in e-waste over five years signals a crisis. With a strong floor price, India can balance development with environmental safety.
Question for practice:
Examine how the introduction of a floor price under the E-waste (Management) Rules, 2022 can promote formal recycling and reduce environmental and economic losses in India.
