Regulation, Execution, and Collective Responsibility in E-Waste Management
The government’s push for critical mineral recycling is reflected in the Ministry of Mines’ approval of 58 companies under the Incentive Scheme for Promotion of Critical Mineral Recycling, with an outlay of INR 1,500 crore under the National Critical Mineral Mission.
May 16, 2026. By News Bureau
India is one of the world’s largest generators of electronic waste, with the country generating about 13.98 lakh tonnes of e-waste in FY 2024–25 according to reports. The rising consumption of electronics, shorter product lifecycles, expanding digital infrastructure, and increasing volumes of e-waste are expected to remain a major challenge for the country with environmental, operational, economic, and regulatory dimensions. That said, India has displayed a clear policy direction. The Extended Producer Responsibility framework has fixed greater accountability on producers, manufacturers, importers, refurbishers, recyclers, and other registered stakeholders. The E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2022 and associated digital compliance systems seek to improve traceability, formalisation, and responsibility across the e-waste value chain.
The government’s push for critical mineral recycling is reflected in the Ministry of Mines’ approval of 58 companies under the Incentive Scheme for Promotion of Critical Mineral Recycling, with an outlay of INR 1,500 crore under the National Critical Mineral Mission. The scheme aims to develop domestic recycling capacity for critical minerals from lithium-ion batteries, e-waste, and industrial scrap to decrease import dependence and strengthen India’s clean energy and advanced manufacturing supply chains.
However, a major problem faced by the country is that while regulations are becoming stronger, formal collection and responsible recycling systems must expand even faster. When e-waste flows into unsafe informal channels, precious materials are often recovered through rudimentary processes that can expose workers, communities, soil, water, and air to hazardous substances. Thus, EPR must not be assessed only on the basis of targets and certificates; the real criteria for EPR evaluation must include how much e-waste actually moves into authorised channels, how effectively materials are recovered, how transparently data is maintained, and how safely workers are integrated into formal systems.
Another concern is the decline in India’s traditional repair-and-reuse culture. High repair costs, scarcity of spare parts, and service-related hassles discourage consumers from getting electronic items repaired. This has direct implications for circularity. A truly circular system must not focus only on recycling after products are discarded; repair, refurbishment, reuse, longer product life, and better product design must form essential elements of the system.
It may be said that for India the challenge is big, but the opportunity it presents is also substantial. The country has a large electronics market, an expanding formal recycling ecosystem, a strong policy framework, and increasing awareness about sustainability and compliance. Effective execution is the requirement now. This would involve widening authorised collection networks, improving consumer awareness, strengthening digital traceability, preventing leakage into informal channels, supporting scientific recyclers, and finding ways to integrate informal workers into safer and more organised systems.
The future and success of e-waste management will depend on sincere and joint efforts from the different sections of society. Producers must treat EPR as a real responsibility and not merely a compliance formality. Consumers must be made aware of responsible e-waste disposal, and they must, in turn, cultivate such behaviours themselves and also educate and train their children in societally and environmentally responsible practices. Recyclers must invest in safe, transparent, and technology-driven recovery systems. Regulators must continue to improve enforcement, data reliability, and inter-state tracking. Businesses must understand that responsible e-waste management is now part of ESG performance, brand trust, and long-term risk management.
If the aforementioned are followed, e-waste can become a source of resource security, formal employment, environmental protection, and industrial value. Otherwise, the country risks allowing a valuable resource stream to remain a public health and environmental liability.
- Radhika Kalia, Managing Director at RLG Systems India Pvt. Ltd.
please contact: contact@energetica-india.net.
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