E – waste Recycling Technology Patents filed in India - An Analysis

Abstract

The expanding electrical and electronic equipments have led to a significant rise in E-waste worldwide over the past two decades. E-waste is today the fastest growing sector of the municipal solid waste stream and currently comprises more than 5% of its total flow, which is equivalent to 20-50 million tons a year worldwide. Electrical and electronic equipment contain different hazardous materials which are harmful to human health and the environment. There are several international and Indian initiatives to dispose and recycle E-waste. However India is a dumping ground of E-waste for western countries but no serious effort has been made to arrest the situation. To manage and dispose E-waste, technology may play a vital role. Therefore the present study focuses on most of the E-waste patents filed in India by Indian R&D organization and other countries. The study reveals a good number of technologies developed by Indian institutions like Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, individuals belonging to different institutions of India and other foreign companies. Despite economic importance, research on E-waste recycling has never been seen as priority and gets little respect within brand company in India. Our study suggests electronic brand companies in India are laggard rather than leader in adopting new technologies and innovation on E-waste recycling. This aversion to innovation has left consumers and workers endangered who are associated to it. To reverse this, most of these brand companies will need to venture out of their comfort zone and effective laws should be brought in to ensure that this may happen.