Amazon is making e-waste management a priority, one step at a time

It’s almost a given that almost every other person today has a smartphone, a laptop, a television, and several chargers. With every new wave of technological advances, the amount of consumed electronic devices multiplies exponentially, especially as new products are launched every year. However, while waste management, segregation, and recycling practices are becoming more popular, responsible e-waste management still has low levels of adoption.

Most often, due to lack of proper channels for responsible disposal, e-waste ends up in the hands of unauthorized vendors/ buyers who dispose of it via acid baths, fire, and landfills – all of which are incredibly toxic for the environment. According to the United Nation’s Global e-waste monitor for 2020, e-waste quadrupled globally over the last 5 years – generating around 54 million metric tonnes per annum. A 2020 report by the Central Pollution Control Board reveals that India generated 1,014,961 tonnes of e-waste in FY 2019-2020 – up 32% from FY 2018-2019.

Amazon has taken steps and initiatives towards spreading awareness of safe handling and responsible recycling of e-waste for consumers in India. We have created an efficient and convenient process for electronic takeback that allows technology enthusiasts to be assured their old Amazon electronic items are being properly recycled, repurposed, reused, or disposed of.

Amazon’s e-waste responsibilities and proactive methods of disposal and awareness are made possible with Amazon’s recycling partner Reteck Envirotech Pvt. Ltd. Besides collecting the e-waste, Reteck also ensures that data is erased on all devices utilizing their proprietary software. Any components that can be reused or repurposed are extracted and then the device is destroyed in a responsible eco-friendly manner.

At offices across India, Amazon has created disposal bins specifically for e-waste collection in order to provide easy access to channels that recycle e-waste responsibly. Internal collection drives help raise awareness among employees and encourage them to recycle their outdated electronics. Multilingual posters and flyers in six languages helped to spread awareness and educate the workforce on the harmful effects of e-waste, both at the country and at the regional levels.

An employee at Amazon expresses, “It has always been a problem to dispose of e-waste. The collection drives and bins at office helps to conveniently dispose old electronics that we had lying in our homes.”

At Amazon, extending our responsibility to consumers is in line with our customer obsession and promise to invent and simplify. As part of our commitment to simplify ownership for consumers, we have also extended a network of collection points available to everyone, to properly dispose of their electronic waste in a manner that is safe for the environment.

Widespread efforts to create e-waste awareness among the wider public are ongoing through print media and public displays. We displayed informative slides at Amazon Devices Kiosks located in malls, and flyers and posters for e-waste awareness were distributed in local languages.

To learn more about Amazon’s electronics recycling programme, or for any support towards disposing of your e-waste (even if you haven’t purchased your devices and appliances from Amazon), visit www.amazon.in/devicerecycling or reach us on our toll-free number 1800-103-7394.