ON JANUARY 29, during his monthly radio programme Mann Ki Baat, Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted the issue of electronic waste (e-waste) accumulation in India. He referred to a report by the UN, stating that a staggering 50 million tonnes of e-waste is discarded annually. Modi brought out the context of this scale by pointing out that the weight of all commercial planes ever constructed put together would be less than that of the e-waste being generated. In fact, he likened the rate of e-waste disposal to discarding 800 laptops every single second.
The PM’s decision to address the mounting problem of e-waste is not without reason. India currently ranks third among the largest generators of e-waste globally, behind only China and the US. The volume of e-waste in India has witnessed a significant surge—from 700,000 tonnes in 2017-18 to 1.6 million tonnes in 2021-22 (see chart). This explosion is being fed by a parallel explosion of electronic goods’ consumption in India, with over 17 million TV sets, 148 million smartphones, 14 million refrigerators, 19 million audio devices and 6.5 million washing machines being sold across the country annually and growing, according to industry experts.
This story is from the June 25, 2023 edition of Business Today India.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the June 25, 2023 edition of Business Today India.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Falling From Grace
On June 24, Sebi launched a probe into Quant MF over alleged front-running activities. What happens to the investments? Should one hold or fold?
The Jobs Agenda
Boosting wage growth and creating jobs are sure-shot ways to improve consumption demand. Over the years, it's proven to be an uphill task for India but can the Union Budget 2024-25 change this trajectory?
FACIAL FITNESS
The rising trend of face yoga helps soften and relax your face muscles to alleviate tension and stress
All About the Message
The coalition government brings with it a lot of speculation, and stakeholders are watching out for the message emanating from the Budget
What Sop?
With the Budget around the corner, taxpayers are hoping that the government will offer them some sops and clear any lingering confusion over choosing between the two tax regimes
Road Map for Viksit Bharat
The NDA government must fundamentally repurpose expenditures, tweak the tax regime, and retain only life-changing welfare measures
"HP is good for India, but India is great for HP"
Ipsita Dasgupta, Senior Vice President and Managing Director of HP India, talks about the India market, AI and more
GREENING MSMES
MSMES, WHICH CONTRIBUTE 3-4% OF INDIA'S CARBON EMISSIONS, ARE STRIVING HARD TO INTEGRATE ESG PRACTICES INTO THEIR BUSINESSES. BUT FINANCING THIS TRANSITION IS PROVING TO BE A CHALLENGE
A Fillip to MSME Productivity
Raising productivity of MSMEs is vital to injecting dynamism in the economy, and it could raise India’s GDP by 10.5%
PUBLIC AFFAIR
THE WORKING ENVIRONMENT OF SMEs HAS UNDERGONE SIGNIFICANT CHANGE DUE TO POLICY INTERVENTIONS, AND IPOs HAVE BEEN HELPING SMALL BUSINESSES UNLOCK AN IMMENSE AMOUNT OF VALUE
