The discarded device may no longer be useful to its owner, but many of the materials inside it still have value. The scale of the e-waste problem is enormous. A United Nations study estimated that 62 million tonnes of e-waste were generated worldwide during 2024-25. Yet only a fraction was disposed of or recycled through proper systems. An electronic device may look like a single object, but it is actually a complex combination of many components and materials. Each of these

What makes e-waste unique is that it is both a challenge and an opportunity. Many people imagine that only large industries or IT companies generate electronic waste. The reality is very different. Every one of us contributes to it. Think about the number of electronic devices you use every day—a mobile phone, laptop, television, refrigerator, washing machine, mixer, microwave oven, electric toothbrush, smartwatch, or even children’s electronic toys. Every home today is fille