Once celebrated as India’s “Brass City,” Moradabad in Uttar Pradesh, located along the banks of the Ramganga River, has now emerged as one of the country largest informal e-waste recycling hubs. What was once a city renowned for its gleaming brass handicrafts has slowly turned into a landscape of smouldering circuit boards and toxic fumes.
With global demand for brass products declining amid economic slowdown, thousands of artisans and manufacturers have been forced to shift from traditional brass work to the more lucrative but hazardous business of e-waste recycling. Families that once molded beauty from brass now dismantle discarded electronic devices computer monitors, CPUs, mobile phones, remote controls, and radio transmitters in search of precious metals.
From Handicraft to Hazard
Across Moradabad, e-waste recycling has become a household enterprise. In narrow lanes and crowded neighborhoods, entire families men, women, and even children participate in dismantling, melting, and metal recovery operations. The work often takes place in basements, courtyards, or rooftops, without protective gear or ventilation.
The process may be profitable, but it is deadly. Workers hammer apart discarded gadgets to extract copper, silver, and gold. Circuit boards are burned in open piles, releasing clouds of lead, mercury, and cadmium into the air. In other cases, the boards are cooked over open flames or dipped in acid baths to separate metals a process that emits highly toxic gases.
A City Under Toxic Siege
These crude methods have turned e-waste recycling into one of the most dangerous livelihoods in Moradabad. Residents inhale poisonous fumes daily; the Ramganga River is contaminated by chemical runoff, and the soil is laced with heavy metals. Yet, for many, this remains the only source of income after the collapse of the brass industry.
Despite the existence of formal e-waste management rules in India, the informal sector dominates due to low costs and lack of regulation. Experts warn that without intervention safer recycling methods, proper worker training, and enforcement of environmental laws Moradabad risks becoming a toxic wasteland.
From Golden Glow to Gray Smoke
Moradabad story is one of resilience turned tragedy. Once known for artisans who transformed metal into art, the city now stands as a grim reminder of how economic shifts can drive communities from craft to contamination. Beneath the haze of burning circuits, families continue their deadly dance with e-waste caught between survival and slow poisoning.