India’s e-waste sees a sharp rise by 73% in 5 years

India has seen a growth in electronic waste (e-waste) generation over the past five years, rising from 1.01 million metric tonnes (MT) in 2019-20 to 1.751 million MT in 2023-24. This data was presented by Minister of State for Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs Tokhan Sahu in the Rajya Sabha on December 16, 2024.

The national-level figures reveal a concerning 72.54 per cent increase in e-waste generation since 2019-20, which also reflects the growing use of electronic and electrical devices across the country. The minister provided this data in response to a question about the amount of e-waste generated in urban areas over the last five years.

Interestingly, the sharpest rise in e-waste generation was observed between 2019-20 and 2020-21, a period when electronic consumption increased due to the demand for work-from-home and remote learning arrangements during the COVID-19 pandemic.

E-waste contains hazardous materials which, if not properly handled and treated, can have damaging effects on the environment and human health. These toxic materials are found to include heavy metals and substances such as arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury, as well as persistent organic pollutants.

Responding to the query about state-wise e-waste generation over the last five years, the minister clarified that such data is unavailable. Instead, e-waste generation is estimated nationally based on sales data provided by producers and the average lifespan of electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) items.