India sees fastest growth in electronic waste generation: Unctad report

Unctad report says country saw a 163% jump in E-waste generation between 2010-22

India saw the highest 163 per cent growth globally in generating electronic waste from screens, computers, and small IT and telecommunication equipment (SCSIT) between 2010 and 2022, according to a United Nations Trade and Development (Unctad) report.

 The ‘2024 Digital Economy Report: Shaping an environmentally sustainable and inclusive digital future’ notes that India doubled its share in SCSIT waste generation in the world from 3.1 per cent in 2010 to 6.4 per cent in 2022. The report states that developing countries in Asia generated most of such waste in 2022, with China contributing almost half of it.

Highlighting the detrimental effects of electronic waste, it says a significant portion of waste generated from digitalisation is managed in informal settings, particularly in developing countries.

“Digitalisation-related waste contains hazardous materials which, if not properly handled and treated, can have damaging effects on the environment and human health. Toxic materials include heavy metals and substances such as arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury, as well

as persistent organic pollutants,” the report said.

It acknowledges India’s efforts in minimising the impact of product packaging and waste and lauds the country’s move towards more sustainable transportation and delivery.

“Amazon India has taken steps to achieve complete elimination of single-use plastic, including by replacing plastic packaging material such as bubble wraps and air pillows with ‘paper cushion’. Zypp Electric, a last-mile delivery company in India, delivers goods using a fleet of zero-emissions electric scooters and has invested in a charging network in urban centres,” it said.

The report notes that in 2023, nearly one-third of global mobile data traffic originated from Northeast Asia, with the next largest share coming from the group formed by Bhutan, India, and Nepal.

According to the report, by the end of 2029, global 5G subscriptions are projected to surpass 5 billion, constituting nearly 60 per cent of all mobile subscriptions. This growth will be driven primarily by Northeast Asia, particularly China, with India following closely behind.

It also adds that with rapid digitalisation and surging demand for cloud-based services, the overall data centre market size in Asia and the Pacific was estimated to reach around $28 billion by 2024. China leads the market in terms of data centre development, with India and Singapore among the frontrunners.