E-normous Mess: India’s Annual E-waste Weighs As Much As 183 Eiffel Towers

India generates nearly 1.85 million tons of computers, TVs, fridges and other electronic waste every year, researchers said. By 2018, India will be buried under a pile of e-waste weighing 3 million tons.

According to the joint-study by The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham) and Frost and Sullivan, India produces about 1,850,000 metric tons (MT) of electronic waste annually. The figure is likely to reach up to 3 million tons per year, growing at the rate of 25 percent.

Mumbai leads the list in generating this garbage with 120,000 tons, Delhi is producing 98,000 tons and the third place goes to Bangalore with 92,000 tons.

Due to poor infrastructure, legislation and framework just 2.5 percent of India's total e-waste gets recycled, the study said. Over 95 percent of generated e-waste is managed by the unorganized sector and scrap dealers. Also, the study reveals a shocking number of 500,000 children, aged 10-14, that are engaged in various e-scrap activities like collection, segregation and distribution.

E-waste is composed of computer equipment (about 70 percent), followed by telecommunications equipment (12 percent), electrical equipment (8 percent) and medical equipment (7 percent). The government, public and private industries create over 70 percent of e-waste, while the other 15 percent comes from households, the study said.

Just for comparison: the mass of the Pyramid of Cheops is estimated at 5.9 million tons; the Leaning Tower of Pisa weighs 14,500 tons; the Eiffel Tower weighs only 10,100 tons.