NITI Aayog CEO says India has huge potential for recycling of electronic wastes

NITI Aayog CEO BVR Subrahmanyam on Friday said that India has been trying to give a push to circular economy as there is a huge potential for recycling of electronic waste.

Subrahmanyam while addressing an event organised by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) also noted that India is extremely dependent on import of lithium and rare earth, key components in many electronic devices and various industrial applications, including medical technology, aerospace and defence.

He pointed out that if electronic wastes are not recycled then it can damage and pollute the environment.

"There is a huge potential for recycling of electronic waste," Subrahmanyam said.

The NITI Aayog CEO said India is currently 5th largest economy and by 2030 it will become the third largest economy.
Meanwhile, MeitY on Friday transferred cost effective Li-ion battery recycling technology to nine recycling industries and startups as part of the Mission LiFE under 'promote circularity campaign'.

MeitY has developed this technology under the Centre of Excellence on E-waste management set up at the Centre for Material for Electronics Technology (C-MET), Hyderabad in collaboration with the government of Telangana along with industry partner Greenko Energies Pvt Ltd.

Also, speaking at the event, MeitY secretary Alkesh Kumar Sharma lauded the effort of the C-MET for developing a low-cost technology for local recycling industries and startups.

He also appreciated C-MET scientists for venturing into niche technology development like hafnium metal sponge from effluents, which is available with a handful of countries.