Researchers in Finland have created an environmentally friendly chemical method utilizing natural fatty acids from cooking oils to extract silver from e-waste

Regarding electronic waste

E-waste pertains to the thrown-away electronic and electrical gadgets that have reached the end of their usable life or become outdated due to swift technological advancements, such as computers, phones, televisions, and various other devices.

India holds the position of the third-largest generator of electronic waste in the world, behind China and the United States.

The World Silver Survey 2024 indicates that industrial uses represent more than 50% of the overall demand for silver.

Nonetheless, merely about 15% of silver is presently recycled, resulting in considerable wastage of a non-renewable, high-demand resource.

Difficulties in E-Waste Handling

Absence of Consumer Motivations: Consumers have no financial or practical motivations to manage e-waste in a responsible manner.

Sparse Collection Framework: There is a scarcity of accredited collection centers, particularly in Tier-II and Tier-III cities.

Most consumers primarily engage with informal scrap dealers.

Hazardous Recycling Methods: More than 90–95% of electronic waste is processed by the informal sector, employing primitive techniques like acid leaching, open burning, and manual disassembly without safety equipment.

Grey Channel Imports: Pre-owned electronics frequently enter India labeled as “donations” or “refurbished products,” ultimately turning into waste.

Recovery of Silver Through Cooking Oils

The conventional Silver extraction method produces harmful waste, resulting in significant environmental and health hazards.

The innovative approach utilized organic unsaturated fatty acids such as linolenic and oleic acids, typically present in sunflower, groundnut, olive, and various other vegetable oils.

These are mixed with 30% hydrogen peroxide to create a green solvent that can dissolve silver under gentle conditions.

Ethyl acetate, a more benign substitute for aggressive chemicals, is utilized in a subsequent stage to isolate and retrieve the silver.

Additional efforts for E-Waste Management in India

Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR): Manufacturers, importers, and brand owners are held accountable for handling the waste generated at the end of their product's life cycle.

A digital EPR E-Waste portal has been established by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), requiring entities like producers, manufacturers, recyclers, and refurbishers of e-waste to register.

The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has thoroughly updated the E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2016 and announced the E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2022.

The inaugural e-waste clinic in India was launched in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh.

It’s a center for separating, processing, and disposing of electronic waste from residential and business sources.

Basel Convention

– The Basel Convention is an international agreement focused on regulating the cross-border transport of hazardous waste and its disposal, guaranteeing that such waste is handled in an environmentally responsible way.

– It was adopted in 1989 and came into effect in 1992.

– India is a signatory to the Basel Convention.

Final thoughts

India's e-waste issue illustrates a larger struggle between technological progress and ecological sustainability.

As the nation ascends the digital hierarchy, it must ensure that harmful waste does not erode its economic and environmental base.

The aim should not only be to handle e-waste, but to derive value, safeguard health, and promote sustainable economic development—all of which are crucial to India's path toward Viksit Bharat.