Less than five per cent of India’s total electronic waste (e-waste) gets recycled due to absence of proper infrastructure, legislation and framework, industry body Assocham said today.
In its analysis on the World Environment Day, it said that India, growing at a compounded annual growth rate of about 20 per cent, annually generates over 4.4 lakh tonnes of e-waste.
Almost half of all unused and end-of-life electronic products lie idle in landfills, junkyards and warehouses, it said.
Computer equipment accounts for almost 68 per cent of e-waste material followed by telecommunication equipment (12 per cent), electrical equipment (eight) and medical equipment (seven). Other equipment, including household e-crap account for the remaining five per cent, it said.
“Over 90 per cent of e-waste generated in India is managed by the unorganised sector and scrap dealers in this market dismantle the disposed products instead of recycling it,” Assocham General Secretary D S Rawat said, while releasing the findings of the chamber’s analysis.
Source: The Economic Times