Dr. Keshav A Bulbule, e-waste has been a major concern in India for some time. How is the landscape changing?
The focus is shifting decisively towards battery recycling. While traditional e-waste remains a concern, the immense volume of batteries from electric vehicles represents a new frontier for resource recovery. We’re no longer just dealing with a problem – we have a valuable source of critical materials.
Why is battery recycling so important?
Battery recycling is not just about managing waste; it’s also about resource recovery. Batteries contain valuable resources such as copper, aluminum, cobalt, nickel, lithium, and various polymers. Through our recycling processes, we are successfully recovering these materials in an environmentally friendly way, with no effluent discharge.
Can you share more about the journey of your battery recycling project?
Our journey in battery recycling started as a student project, with a modest beginning of dismantling 5 kg of batteries per day. Today, we have scaled up our operations to dismantle a tonne of batteries per day.
Where are your battery recycling facilities located?
One of the key locations for our battery recycling facilities is in Hindupur, Andhra Pradesh. The industrial estate here was started by the then Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, N.T. Rama Rao. His vision was to create a vibrant industrial corridor, and today, one road separates the Karnataka Industrial Corridor and the Andhra Industrial Corridor.
What challenges remain, and how do we overcome them?
Regulations need streamlining to incentivize formal, safe recycling. Informal practices remain a problem. Stronger collaboration between industry and research will push the boundaries of recycling technology.
Could you leave us with a final message for our NSH readers?
E-waste isn’t simply a waste issue. It’s a source of vital resources for India’s growth, especially in the green energy sector. This requires a collaborative, systems-level approach – consumers, industry, and policymakers working together to build a sustainable, responsible e-waste management system. As we continue to innovate and improve our recycling processes, we aim to turn e-waste from a problem into a solution, contributing to a circular economy and a sustainable future.
