The informal sector in India processes more than 90% of e-waste, using rudimentary techniques and unskilled workers. In contravention of the E-waste (Management and Handling) Rules 2011, a large number of informal units are carrying out the processing of e-wastes in Delhi. This paper analyses the process of e-waste management in the informal sector and throws light on the working and living conditions of workers at some dismantling sites in Delhi. On the basis of unstructured interviews with e-waste workers, the paper articulates their risk perception and highlights the economics of e-wastes recycling in the informal sector. Given the harmful effects of e-wastes and the involvement of a large number of people, the paper underlines the need for changes in application of the law to recognize the rights of the workers and to strengthen safety provisions for them.
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Pandey et al. (2014) studied this question.
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