Delhi is among 17 States and Union Territories that do not have a dedicated electronic waste recycling facility, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) informed the National Green Tribunal (NGT), raising fresh concerns about the capital’s capacity to manage mounting e-waste.
In a status report submitted to the tribunal, the CPCB stated that Delhi currently relies on agreements between bulk waste generators and registered recyclers located outside the city, primarily within the National Capital Region (NCR), to process its electronic waste.
No In-City Recycling, No Interstate Tracking
The matter was heard by a Bench led by NGT Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava and expert member A. Senthil Vel, which had earlier sought an action-taken report on e-waste management nationwide.
According to the CPCB’s submission, 17 States and UTs including Delhi lack operational e-waste recycling facilities. The report further noted that 21 States and UTs, including Delhi, do not maintain records of interstate transportation of e-waste.
The absence of tracking mechanisms has raised concerns over transparency and regulatory oversight, particularly as India’s e-waste volumes continue to rise.
However, the CPCB informed the tribunal that the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) is among seven State pollution control bodies that have completed comprehensive e-waste inventorisation covering all 106 categories of Electrical and Electronic Equipment (EEE) under the E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2022.
The other States that have completed full inventorisation are Assam, Manipur, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Nagaland and Tripura.
Guidelines in Draft, Report Sought Before May Hearing
Maintaining a detailed inventory of EEE categories is considered critical for accurately estimating waste generation and planning recycling capacity.
The CPCB informed the tribunal that draft national guidelines for e-waste inventorisation have been prepared and circulated to States and UTs. The final version will be issued after receiving pending responses.
Taking note of the submissions, the NGT directed the CPCB to file a further status report at least one week before the next hearing scheduled for May 21.
The tribunal’s scrutiny comes amid growing concerns over the environmental and health impacts of improperly handled electronic waste, particularly in urban centres such as Delhi, where consumption of electronic goods remains high but recycling infrastructure within city limits is absent.