Synopsis
The environmental hazard is worsening, but some companies are beginning to take e-waste management seriously. LG, Dell and Xiaomi, among others, are taking steps to take back old electronic products from consumers and dispose of them responsibly. A strong EPR policy could help buttress their efforts and reduce India’s electronic dump.
Agencies
Smartphone market leader Xiaomi has introduced a Product Take Back & Recycling Programme
The world generated a record 53.6 million tonnes of e-waste last year, the Global E-waste Monitor 2020 has said. India is the third biggest contributor to this dump with 3.2 million tonnes, after China and the US. While the environmental hazard is worsening, some companies are beginning to take e-waste management seriously. “Things are certainly looking up since 2017 with several brands doing their bit in responsible ewaste management,” says Pranshu Singhal, Founder, Karo Sambhav, a PRO (producer responsibility organisation) offering e-waste solutions and EPR (extended producer responsibility) services.