Innovative Ideas towards Circular Economy in eWaste

As the third largest producer of eWaste in the world, India needs quick solutions to deal with the environmental hazard that is eWaste disposal. In this article, Raj Kumar presents the idea of creating a Circular economy for better managing eWaste. In fact, inventive policy and ingenious strategies for processing eWaste can not only mitigate the climate risks involved, but also provide benefits in terms of optimal use of the present resources.

The disposal of eWaste is a severe environmental issue that affects the entire planet. When we buy an Electrical and electronic equipment (EEE), we rarely consider what materials are used or where they came from. We dispose off the product when it gets obsolete or replace it with newer technology.

An increase in eWaste in the landfills is adversely affecting the climate and contributing to climate change. As a result of environmental consciousness, we are now witnessing a global shift from sequential manufacturing to a cyclic manufacturing paradigm. This is especially important in the recycling of electronics, where the circular economy for e-Waste has already been applied.

The Importance of a Circular Economy in E-Waste Management

Circular economy is a viable alternative to the existing linear economy, which is built on the use-and-throw idea. It replaces the concept of 'end-of-life' with regeneration and restoration, along with advancing the EEE product design to enable prolonged product life. India emphasized on the need for a sustainable ecosystem at COP21, when the Paris Agreement was reached in 2015, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi underlining Mission Circular Economy last year. Following this, the Niti Aayog has constructed circular economy action plans for 11 waste categories.