India is becoming increasingly digital. Laptops, power workplaces, smartphones have become essential to everyday life, and electronic appliances are entering more Indian homes than ever before. But behind this rapid adoption of technology is a less visible challenge, what happens when these products reach the end of their useful life?
The scale of that question is already significant. According to data, India generated approximately 13.98 lakh tonnes (1.4 million tonnes) of e-waste in FY 2024–25, compared with around 12.54 lakh tonnes in FY 2023–24. In just one year, the estimated generation increased by more than 11%. For the founder of Recycloop, Sameer Malik, these numbers represent more than an environmental statistic. They represent a problem that is sitting inside homes, offices and businesses across the country. “We have become very good at consuming technology,” the founder says. “But we need to become equally responsible about what happens to that technology when we stop using it.”
The hidden story behind every device
An old laptop sitting unused in a cupboard may not look like a major environmental issue. But multiply that laptop by millions of households, offices and organisations. The result is a rapidly growing stream of electronic waste. And unlike conventional waste, electronics contain materials that still have economic and resource value. The Global E-waste Monitor estimates that 62 million tonnes of e-waste were generated globally in 2022, while only 22.3% was documented as formally collected and recycled. The report also notes that small IT and telecommunications equipment — including laptops and mobile phones accounted for about 4.6 million tonnes, with only 22% documented collection and recycling globally. This makes e-waste not simply a waste-management problem, but a resource-recovery challenge.
From “waste” to “resource”
That change in perspective sits at the centre of Recycloop’s approach. The company is working to create a more connected ecosystem involving households, businesses, local collection partners and authorised recyclers, helping electronic waste move towards responsible recycling and recovery. The idea is straightforward: make responsible disposal easier while strengthening the connection between grassroots collection and formal recycling infrastructure.
A problem that can create livelihoods too
For Recycloop, however, the story is not only about tonnes of waste. It is also about people. India already has a vast grassroots network involved in waste collection and recovery. Recycloop sees an opportunity to connect these existing networks with more organised and authorised recycling systems. The objective is to create a model where environmental responsibility and economic opportunity can exist together. “When we talk about impact, we don’t want to measure it only by how much waste is recycled,” the founder explains. “We also look at the people who become part of the solution.” That means local collection partners, businesses, consumers and recyclers all become participants in the larger circular-economy journey.
Changing what happens after we stop using technology
This is where Recycloop sees its larger purpose. The company believes responsible e-waste management should become part of the normal lifecycle of an electronic product. When someone buys a new laptop, what happens to the old one should be just as important as the purchase itself. When a company replaces hundreds of computers, their end-of-life journey should not be an afterthought. And when a local collector picks up electronic waste, that material should ideally have a clear and responsible path towards authorised recycling. For Recycloop, the circular economy begins with these small decisions.
The bigger vision
India’s digital transformation is not slowing down. More people will access technology. More businesses will depend on electronics. More devices will eventually reach the end of their useful lives. The question is whether India’s waste ecosystem will grow alongside that digital economy. Recycloop wants to be part of building that future — one where technology does not simply follow a “buy, use and discard” cycle, but becomes part of a more circular system of collection, recovery, reuse and recycling. The founder believes the opportunity is ultimately bigger than e-waste itself. “We don’t want people to look at an old electronic device and see only waste,” the founder says. “We want them to see responsibility, resources and the possibility of giving those materials another life.” And perhaps that is the larger story behind Recycloop.
India’s e-waste challenge is growing. But so is the opportunity to turn that challenge into environmental impact, economic opportunity and a more circular future.
Interview By : Sejal Thakur
