India sits on a 'mining waste' mine? Report shows great potential in recycling e-waste

India probably sits on a mining waste mine when we consider a report saying that the electronic waste of Europe raised will lead to the withdrawal of 1 million tonnes of critical raw minerals (CRMs) if withdrawn annually. The report in question was released today, which is also the international e-brush day, by the Futuram Consortium, an institution of the European Union. The report contains extensive data on how electronic and electrical equipment (eee) of sale to their end of life in the European Union, United Kingdom, Switzerland, Iceland and Norway travel. A look at the numbers in numbers: In 2022, Europe generated 10.7 million tonnes of e waste, of which 54 percent were managed according to the necessary compliance. Of this e-waste, approximately 400,000 tonnes of CRMs were recovered. These include copper, aluminum, silicon, tungsten and palladium. The report also said that the total amount of EEE waste in Europe could rise to about 12.5-19 million tonnes by 2050. The management of E-waste in Europe. CRMS is expected to grow to 1.2 to 1.9 million tonnes annually. “The e-waste of Europe is not trash, it is a multi-billion European resource waiting to be unlocked,” interesting engineering quoted a senior scientist at Unitar Scrycle, saying, “Every kilogram we restore and any device we restore strengthens our economy, reduces our dependence and creates new work.” How can India benefit? While Europe currently produces 10.7 million tonnes of e-waste, India produced 1.751 million tonnes of E-waste in 2023-24, according to the data presented by the Minister of the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Matters Tokhan Sahu in the Rajya Sabha on December 16, 2024. India’s e-waste vs Europe’s e-waste, according to the data, rose 72.54 percent from 2019-20 to 2023-24. India therefore sits on a large ‘mine’ of electric waste, which can provide its industries with significant amounts of critical raw materials. How much e-waste process India? The government has introduced the rules of the e-waste (management), 2022, with effect from April 1, 2023, to streamline the collection and recycling of e-waste. This is done by holding producers/manufacturers of electronic or electrical goods responsible under the extensive producer responsibility (EPR). Based on the amount of e-waste generated or the products sold, electronic and electrical equipment manufacturers receive annual recycling goals. The government’s data offered in the Rajya Sabha in August 2024 show that there has been a significant increase in the recycling of E-waste in the country over the past five years, but there is still much left to do. India’s recycling of e-waste increased from 22 percent in 2019-20 to 43 percent in 2023-24. However, the remaining 57 percent E waste that is unprocessed is about 990,000 tonnes per year. Thus, according to the numbers, the e-waste of India may be a burden on the government in the form of an environmental challenge, but if used with the right systems, it can unlock a steady domestic offer of CRMs, while it may also create green work.