Stakeholders Call for Urgent Reform in Battery & E-Waste Recycling at Delhi Roundtable
In the lead-up to the Bharat Recycling Show 2025, Media Fusion and Crain Communications successfully held the second edition of their national Recycling Roundtable Series on June 27 in New Delhi. The session focused on two of the most pressing sustainability challenges India currently faces: E-waste management and End-of-Life (EoL) battery recycling.
The roundtable brought together industry leaders, policymakers, sustainability experts, and innovators to deliberate on regulatory challenges, EPR implementation, and urgent reforms required to improve India’s recycling infrastructure.
E-Waste and Battery Surge: A National Concern
As India’s digital and mobility landscape rapidly expands, the surge in electronic waste and used batteries has intensified. However, the recycling and disposal systems have not kept pace—leading to concerns over traceability, environmental leakage, and non-compliant practices.
Mr. L. Pugazhenthy, Executive Director of the India Lead Zinc Development Association, stated:
“The fragmented and largely unregulated collection of batteries in India remains a key concern. While lead-acid batteries used in vehicles and inverters are relatively traceable, dry cells, button cells, and lithium-ion batteries often end up in informal scrap channels or are improperly discarded. Weak enforcement of battery waste regulations and poor compliance by smaller manufacturers further contribute to large-scale environmental leakage.”
He added:“The diversion of used lead batteries to the informal sector continues largely due to unchecked practices by dealers. While the Battery (Management & Handling) Rules, 2001 define responsibilities for various stakeholders, they fall short in clearly outlining obligations for dealers—giving them a virtual free hand. ILZDA has raised this regulatory gap with the CPCB, but action on the matter is still awaited.”
Mr. Satish Sinha, Associate Director at Toxics Link, reinforced the need for robust rule enforcement:“Despite the presence of well-framed rules, the absence of stringent enforcement, effective penalties, and coordinated monitoring continues to enable non-compliant practices.”
Experts also flagged concerns over government auctions being accessed by intermediaries or informal recyclers, undermining the goals of safe and responsible recycling.
India’s E-Waste Market Poised for Rapid Growth
India ranks as the third-largest producer of e-waste globally, generating nearly 10% of the world’s e-waste. The domestic e-waste recycling market, valued at USD 2.96 billion in 2024, is projected to reach USD 8.92 billion by 2033, with a CAGR of 12.07%.
This exponential growth, driven by urbanization, tech adoption, and environmental awareness, makes the need for safe, traceable, and scalable recycling systems more critical than ever.
Stakeholder Perspectives and Global Insights
Ms. Preeti Tiwari, Head of Business Development EPR at Landbell GreenForest Solutions, emphasized the importance of an effective reverse logistics system:“While the EPR framework is a significant move, its success depends on a well-defined reverse supply chain, ongoing monitoring, and active responsibility from manufacturers.”
Mr. Gautam Mehra, Chief of Innovation and R&D at OpenGate Global Enterprises, said:“Battery and e-waste recycling involves hazardous components, complex dismantling, and often lacks sufficient infrastructure. The importance of transparency, proper collection systems, and traceability, without which responsible recycling becomes extremely difficult to enforce.”
Mr. Akshit Jain, Founder of Recyclify, pointed to critical data gaps:“The most informal recyclers, despite handling a significant volume of waste, do not disclose or document their processes, leaving major gaps in national-level data.”
Mr. Mitradev Sahoo (WRI India) and Mr. Ashok Kumar Thanikonda (Global Green Growth Institute) presented international case studies, stressing the role of data systems in efficient policy enforcement.
Addressing the Rural Gap
Ms. Pallas Chandel, Climate Change Advisor at GIZ, shed light on challenges in rural and peri-urban regions:“The rural and peri-urban regions, despite their increasing usage of electronic devices, are often left out of formal waste collection systems. In the absence of basic infrastructure, electronic waste is frequently burned, leading to severe air and water pollution.”
She advocated for decentralised collection models, capacity-building among rural informal recyclers, and a more inclusive EPR framework.
Financial Incentives for Formalisation
Mr. Sanjeev Srivastava, CEO of NAMO eWaste, underlined the importance of economic incentives:“The absence of financial incentives continues to be a major constraint for India’s recycling sector. Introducing targeted support for formal players can serve as a catalyst, encouraging more start-ups and MSMEs to adopt advanced technologies for critical mineral extraction. This, in turn, will pave the way for improved infrastructure, higher compliance, and a more robust circular economy.”
A Unified Call for Policy and Infrastructure Reform
The panel issued a collective appeal for:
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Real-time traceability of e-waste and batteries
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Inclusion of the informal sector through formal incentives
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Mandatory audits and minimum pricing to prevent undercutting
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Stronger public engagement and enforcement mechanisms
Their message was clear: India needs a resilient, transparent, and inclusive recycling ecosystem to manage the fast-growing volume of electronic and battery waste.
Bharat Recycling Show 2025, is scheduled to take place from 13 to 15 November at
Hall 6, NESCO Exhibition Center, Mumbai. With a focused commodity showcase and
high-level discussions, the event aims to accelerate India's recycling ecosystem and
drive long-term industry transformation.
