Delhi to Set Up Country’s First E-Waste Park Through Public-Private Partnership

New facility to feature decontamination, dismantling, refurbishing & recycling units alongside training center

The Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (DSIIDC) is seeking private partners to develop the country’s first integrated e-waste management complex, reports Hindustan Times (HT) citing project reports.

The public-private partnership (PPP) project will see a private operator invest in and manage a facility featuring six key sections: decontamination units, dismantling units, refurbishing factories, recycling units, a testing facility, and a training center. DSIIDC will provide 21 acres of land for the complex, located near the Urban Extension-2 road.

“We will provide land and the operator will invest their resources to develop the buildings, utilities, roads, and machinery,” said a DSIIDC official on condition of anonymity to the publication. “The operator will be allowed to sell recycled products, recovered components, and offer training courses to generate revenue.”

E-Waste Hub Seeks Sustainable Solution

Delhi generates a significant amount of e-waste annually, estimated at around 230,000 tonnes, which is 9.5% of the national total. Currently, the city relies on a limited number of registered e-waste collection centers. A large portion of e-waste ends up in landfills or is dismantled and recycled in the informal sector, often violating environmental safety regulations.

The new e-waste park aims to address these concerns by providing a formal and environmentally responsible solution for e-waste management. The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) is also taking steps to improve e-waste collection by empaneling new agencies for a three-year period. These agencies will be responsible for collecting e-waste from residential, commercial, institutional, and industrial areas within the city.

The Delhi government first announced plans for the e-waste park in April 2021. The project has faced delays, with an initial target completion date of end-2023 set by former Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal. In July 2022, Environment Minister Gopal Rai revised the deadline to July 2024. With construction expected to take 18 months, the e-waste park is unlikely to be operational before 2025.