From trash to treasure: The rise of doorstep e-waste recycling
India's digital boom has come with a dark side: mountains of discarded electronics. Unsafe recycling practices and a booming appliance market have turned e-waste into one of the country's fastest-growing environmental threats.India Today spoke with Rohan Gupta, Co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of Attero, to explore how doorstep e-waste collection is transforming how urban India disposes of its old devices, with accountability, convenience, and long-term impact in mind.advertisementTHE SCALE OF THE PROBLEMIn 2023–24, India generated nearly 3.8 million metric tonnes (MMT) of e-waste—a 100% increase in just ten years. A majority of it is processed informally through hazardous methods like acid leaching and open-air burning, exposing workers to toxins and polluting air and soil.A MODEL BUILT FOR URBAN REALITY
Doorstep collection is gaining popularity for its simplicity. Individuals and businesses can now schedule pickups at their convenience, ensuring their devices are routed to certified recyclers.'People are more likely to recycle when it's easy,' says Gupta. 'Our goal is to make recycling as seamless as a food delivery.'According to Redseer Strategy Consultants, India's e-waste holds $6 billion in recoverable value, including critical materials like cobalt, lithium, and rare earth elements. Stronger formal networks could also cut metal import bills by $1.7 billion annually.WHERE E-WASTE COMES FROMadvertisementHouseholds are responsible for about 70% of India's annual e-waste. Appliance breakdown by weight includes:Refrigerators: 675,000 tonnesWashing machines: 630,000 tonnesAir conditioners: 115,000 tonnesTVs, laptops, and smartphones: 81,000 tonnesLarge appliances and temperature exchange devices alone contribute 2.5 MMT annually.REGULATIONS PUSH PRODUCERS TO ACTUnder the E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2022, producers must recycle 60% of their products in FY24, increasing to 80% by FY28.This is part of the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) system, which mandates producers to tie up with certified recyclers and obtain compliance certificates through a central portal. Doorstep collection supports this system by improving traceability and volume tracking.LEARNING FROM GLOBAL MODELSCities worldwide are adopting similar ideas: Stockholm runs mobile collection vans, San Francisco includes e-waste in municipal pickups, and Singapore's ALBA Group offers digital rewards for used electronics.Inspired by these models, Attero's Selsmart initiative is building a nationwide collection infrastructure with local partners and warehouses.Selsmart goes beyond pickups. The system emphasizes data security, transparent logistics, and environmental safety. Every collected item is traceable—from doorstep to dismantling.'This isn't about just collecting more,' Gupta says. 'It's about building trust across the chain—from consumers to manufacturers.'A CIRCULAR ECONOMY WAITING TO BE BUILTOnly 30% of India's e-waste is formally recycled. The rest goes untracked, wasting 80,000 crore worth of recoverable metals and potential tax revenue annually.advertisementDoorstep collection helps plug that leak, bringing efficiency, safety, and circularity to the system while supporting green jobs and domestic supply chains.As device use accelerates, India needs scalable solutions now, not later. Doorstep collection is not just about waste—it's about the future of how cities operate.'People want to do the right thing,' Gupta says. 'We just need to make doing the right thing the easier choice.'
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