Focus: GS-III Environment and Ecology, Prelims
Why in news?
India is the third largest electronic waste generator in the world after China and the US and these three countries together contributed to almost 40% of total e-waste generated worldwide in 2019.
Details
- Releasing the data, UN’s Global E-waste Monitor 2020 presented a worrying scenario where only 17.4% (9.3 mt) of the total e-waste was collected and recycled globally.
- It means gold, platinum and other high-value recoverable raw materials (cobalt, palladium, indium, germanium, bismuth, and antimony), worth $57 billion were dumped or burned last year.
- Currently China enjoys a distinct advantage on account of primary deposits and mining from waste.
India’s Recycling capacity
- Though there is no such estimation for India, the country’s low recycling capacity (8 lakh tonnes annually) is an indication of big loss in terms of its inability to mine precious and critical materials from the e-waste.
- Besides, e-waste is also a serious health and environmental hazard if it is not disposed of properly.
- India is the only country in the South Asian region with e-waste legislation, but the e-waste management is largely based on the informal sector.
-Source: Hindustan Times
