E-Waste in India

Like hazardous waste, the problem of e-waste has become an immediate and long term concern as its unregulated accumulation and recycling can lead to major environmental problems endangering human health. Both developed and developing countries like India face the problem of e-waste management. This paper attempts to provide a brief insight into this relatively new concept of e-waste, its generation in India and the environmental and health concerns attached to it. It highlights the e-waste recycling economy in the thriving informal and the nascent formal sector and the urgent need for a more clear-cut legislation and forward looking vision. The paper also looks into the global trade in e-waste and the international experience in this regard.