Unlocking $6 Billion: The Untapped Potential of E-Waste Metal Recovery

India has emerged as the world's third-largest e-waste producer, with generation nearly doubling from 2 million metric tons in FY14 to 3.8 million metric tons in FY24. This surge presents a $6 billion economic opportunity through metal extraction. Currently, only 16% of consumer e-waste is formally recycled, while 60-70% is processed through informal channels. The formal recycling sector is expected to grow at a 17% CAGR by FY35, potentially handling 40% of India's total e-waste. Experts emphasize the need for scaling formal recycling operations, strengthening regulatory enforcement, and incentivizing circular economy practices to unlock the sector's full potential and reduce reliance on metal imports.

 

Source: Climate Samurai