Photos: 'Seelampur Provides Livelihood With No Safety Gear for E-Waste Workers'

According to the workers, there are around 20 warehouses in the Seelampur where scrap from north India arrives.

Delhi's Seelampur is home to India's largest e-waste dump yard.

(Image altered by The Quint/Namita Chauhan)

Nestled on the outskirts of East Delhi- Seelampur is a digital graveyard that supports the livelihoods of over a thousand workers, committed to spending 10-12 hours each day extracting precious metals such as gold, silver, copper, and tin from electronic gadgets.

(Photo Credit: Anushka Kogta and Syed Ahmad Rufai)

In addition to men and women, children from various age groups are also part of the labour force in this market. According to the Government of India's report, India generates 3 million tonnes of e-waste annually, with the National Capital contributing 2.2 lakh tonnes to it. Of this total, a quarter of the waste is disposed of in Seelampur, India’s largest e-waste market.

In photo: A girl scans waste materials, searching for valuable items.

(Photo Credit: Anushka Kogta and Syed Ahmad Rufai)

A teenage boy who wished for anonymity screens through a pile of e-waste items on the concrete floor, carrying a plastic bag slung over his shoulder. 'This was supposed to be a school bag,' he murmured in a low tone. "I work here in the market and collect certain useful materials from this scrap, which I then sell at the end of the day," he said. Taking a deep breath, he added, "It's a meagre amount, but it's what I hand over to my mother, as no one else in our family can earn. We get cuts all over our hands while searching for the precious metals in this scrap."

(Photo Credit: Anushka Kogta and Syed Ahmad Rufai)

The women separating the copper from the dust particles shared the same experience. Covered by veils over their mouths, they simultaneously expressed, "It causes breathing problems."

(Photo Credit: Anushka Kogta and Syed Ahmad Rufai)

The workers extract valuable metals from the scrapped items, and the leftovers are either dumped in nearby water bodies or burnt, leading to environmental damage.

In photo: Around the e-waste market, an outline of a water body is choked with plastics and e-waste materials, making it hazardous for the people living by it.

(Photo Credit: Anushka Kogta and Syed Ahmad Rufai)

Of the e-waste products, a variety of discarded electronic devices, including mobile phones, computer parts, and electrical appliances like LCD TVs, tube lights, printers, and home appliances, make their way to Seelampur, where they are stored in warehouses. 

(Photo Credit: Anushka Kogta and Syed Ahmad Rufai)

Not only do these workers earn a meagre amount of Rs 300 daily, but they also operate in hazardous and poor working conditions. They work without using any safety equipment or glasses to protect their eyes. These people are often exposed to harmful toxic chemicals in the e-waste, putting them at risk of danger and diseases.

In photo: A worker sorts out the leftover products.

(Photo Credit: Anushka Kogta and Syed Ahmad Rufai)

According to the workers, there are around 20 warehouses in the market. Trucks loaded with scrap material from Bihar, Bengal, and other nearby states enter the Seelampur market.

(Photo Credit: Anushka Kogta and Syed Ahmad Rufai)

The Indian government introduced e-waste-related legislation (management and handling rules) in 2011. Since then, these regulations have changed, with the most recent update occurring in 2023. The e-waste legislation provides an organised structure to the earlier e-waste market, primarily controlled by an unorganised sector involving crude practices that result in environmental pollution. The Central Pollution Control Board issues these rules.

(Photo Credit: Anushka Kogta and Syed Ahmad Rufai)

According to the Global E-waste Monitor Report 2024, the growth of e-waste is alarming, outpacing documented e-waste recycling by a factor of five. The amount has surged significantly from 34 billion kg in 2010 to 62 billion kg in 2022, with a projected increase of up to 80 billion kg by 2030. These figures underscore the pressing need for sustainable e-waste management. 

India contributes 4.1 billion kg of e-waste, securing the second position after China in terms of the highest e-waste generation. Compared to 2010, when only 23 authorised recyclers were operating in the country, as of 2021, the number has jumped to 400. 

(Photo Credit: Anushka Kogta and Syed Ahmad Rufai)

(All 'My Report' branded stories are submitted by citizen journalists to The Quint. Though The Quint inquires into the claims/allegations from all parties before publishing, the report and the views expressed above are the citizen journalist's own. The Quint neither endorses, nor is responsible for the same.)