India Recycled Over 9.7 Lakh Metric Tonnes Of E-Waste In 2025-26: Environment Ministry
Uttar Pradesh led the recycling efforts with 3,76,896 MT, followed by Telangana with 1,61,988 MT, and Haryana with 1,35,951 MT.
Published : March 10, 2026 at 5:03 PM IST
|Updated : March 11, 2026 at 3:58 PM IST
By Santu Das
New Delhi: More than 9.79 lakh metric tonnes (MT) of e-waste has been processed across the country so far in Fiscal Year 2025-26, as per the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC).
The Ministry updated the E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2016, and officially announced the E-Waste (Management) Rules in November 2022, which have been in effect since April 1, 2023. These regulations govern 106 types of Electrical and Electronic Equipment (EEE) specified in Schedule 1 of the aforementioned Rules, which includes discarded mobile phones, computers, and UPS systems.
In addition, it issued the Battery Waste Management Rules on August 24, 2022, aimed at ensuring the environmentally responsible management of waste batteries. These Rules encompass all categories of batteries, including automotive and eV batteries, portable batteries and industrial batteries.
According to the Rules, producers, including importers, are assigned mandatory Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) targets for the collection and recycling or refurbishment of waste batteries. The EPR framework established under the Battery Waste Management Rules, 2022, prohibits the disposal of waste batteries in landfills.
Recycling E-Waste To Preserve Environment
India's e-waste generation is being assessed by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), under MoEF&CC. According to the latest data issued by the Ministry on Monday, around 14,14,645 MT e-waste was generated n FY 2025-2026, of which, 9,79,080 MT was recycled in India.
Uttar Pradesh led the recycling efforts with 3,76,896 MT, followed by Telangana with 1,61,988 MT, and Haryana with 1,35,951 MT.
As per the data of the Ministry, the amount of e-waste generated nationwide during FY 2024-25 was 13,97,955 MT, of which, 11,59,288 MT was processed. Similarly, in FY 2023-24, 12,54,286 MT e-waste was generated, and 7,78,205 MT recycled.
Experts View
Environmentalist B S Vohra said the progress in e-waste recycling was encouraging, while emphasising that much remains to be done in this direction. "The progress in e-waste recycling is encouraging. Recycling nearly 9.7 lakh MT out of the 14.14 lakh MT generated in 2025-26 shows that India is moving in the right direction. The leadership shown by UP is also noteworthy. However, much more needs to be done," he told ETV Bharat on Tuesday.
Vohra added, "Public awareness about safe disposal, stronger collection networks, and strict enforcement against informal recycling are essential. Promoting repair, reuse, and producer responsibility can further reduce the environmental impact and help India build a stronger circular economy."
Expressing similar views, environmentalist Deepak Ramesh Gaur, also known as Gurgaon's Tree Man, told ETV Bharat, "This is a positive step towards conservation of the environment. Such initiatives would give a fillip to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of Viksit Bharat." He asserted that the main focus should be environment sustainability.
