IMI Delhi Hosts Conference On Circular Economy And E-Waste

IMI Delhi, in collaboration with BML Munjal University and supported by the Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR), hosted the National Conference on “Circular Futures: Innovative Strategies for E-Waste Management and Resource Recovery.” Aligned with Vision Viksit Bharat@2047, the conference brought together leading voices from academia, industry, and policy to chart pathways for India’s path towards a circular economy. Speakers at the conference included Mr. Mandeep Manocha, Co-Founder & CEO of Cashify, Mr. Mayank Sinha, Head of Marketing & D2C Business at Attero Recycling, Mr. Sahil Jain, Principal Enterprise Architect at Adobe, Ms. Harpreet Kaur Ghai, Vice President at Aspire Impact, and Dr. Ruchi Garg Associate Professor at BML University.

The event garnered significant international participation, with over 55 research papers submitted from  Campbellsville University (US), Vietnam National University, University of Delhi, IGNOU, NITs, and leading management institutes across India. The research explored critical themes, with the top topics being Behavioural and Social Aspects of E-Waste Handling, Digital Technologies for Monitoring E-Waste, and Technological Innovations in Recycling.

A key highlight was the panel discussion on “Towards a Circular India: The Future of E-Waste Management,” moderated by Dr. Pinaki Dasgupta, Professor at IMI Delhi. The discussion featured seminal insights from top industry practitioners and thought leaders. Mr. Mandeep Manocha (Cashify) noted that most e-waste lies unused in households and calls for stronger consumer trust in recycling systems. Mr. Mayank Sinha (Attero Recycling) highlighted the efficiency of formal recycling and emphasized the urgency of scaling it up. Mr. Sahil Jain (Adobe) advocated for digital passports and AI-driven models to enhance traceability. And Ms. Harpreet Kaur Ghai (Aspire Impact) underlined that e-waste could be transformed into wealth when supported by ESG frameworks. Dr. Nitika Sharma, Assistant Professor at IMI Delhi and Convenor of the conference, concluded that e-waste is not just a technical issue but a societal challenge, and true sustainability lies in reimagining waste as wealth while embedding circularity into India’s growth journey. Together, they emphasised that technology, policy, and consumer participation must converge to build a circular economy in India.

The outcomes from the deliberations reinforced the scale of the challenge: 85% of devices remain unused at home, the informal sector still manages 60% of e-waste inefficiently, and the formal sector, though limited in scale, achieves near-total efficiency. Recommendations included expanding formal recycling capacity, adopting AI- and blockchain-enabled tracking, empowering consumers through repair and reuse, fostering green entrepreneurship, and strengthening policies such as Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) and Right to Repair.

Mr. Mayank Sinha, Head of Marketing & D2C Business at Attero Recycling, said, “India’s e-waste challenge can only be solved by scaling formal recycling systems. With efficiency levels close to 98%, formal operations present a massive opportunity to turn environmental challenges into economic value.”

Speaking at the conference, Dr. Himadri Das, Director General, IMI, stated, “The days of the linear economy are long gone. To build a sustainable future, we must redesign our systems to minimize waste and promote recycling. Moving from ‘take, make, dispose’ to a circular economy is no longer a choice; it is an imperative. IMI Delhi is proud to contribute thought leadership on this front.”