Background: Air pollution in India kills more than two million people a year, and according to the World Health Organization, the pollution in New Delhi is the worst out of any major city in the world. The Supreme Court of India also said, “Delhi has become worse than narak (hell).” A lot of this pollution comes from vehicular waste, waste from industries and crop burning. However, another cause for air pollution that most people fail to recognize is electronic waste. Electronic waste releases toxic chemicals such as lead and mercury which when inhaled by people or animals can lead to fatal diseases affecting the liver and brain. Furthermore, hazardous materials in electronic waste also contaminates the soil creating an unhealthy environment for plants to grow. One of the fundamental problems associated with e-waste is that most people do not know that electronic waste is supposed to be segregated and not thrown away along with the regular waste.
eCycle is an initiative founded by two high-school students from New Delhi, India, in 2019 to help deal with the electronic waste generated in the surrounding local communities. The eCycle team collects e-waste from households across communities in New Delhi including laptops, phones, chargers, and so on. Having partnered with Samsung and Croma, eCycle works with them to ensure that the unusable e-waste is deposited at the government-authorized recycling centers and the discarded electronics that are in usable condition are distributed to disadvantaged people in the rural areas.
So far, eCycle has collected over 500 kilograms of electronic waste and has helped create a better environment for over 10,000 people. Their goal is not only to collect and safely deposit e-waste, but also to raise awareness about the issue and sensitize people about the need to segregate the hazardous e-waste from others. The team aims to take this initiative forward through POP Movement’s Youth CAN by networking with like-minded young activists and being part of a space for sharing resources, opportunities, and inspiration.
