The government registered them – but they seem to be invisible on the ground.

Of the 41 government-authorised recycling plants Newslaundry visited during working hours across four states in May and June, seven appeared to be either missing, permanently shut, or occupied by other companies engaged in non-recycling activities.

Together, these seven plants have been authorised to process over 2 lakh metric tonnes of e-waste, which is nearly 7 percent of India’s recycling capacity in the formal sector. Yet, despite licensing their capacity, the government has failed in conducting even basic checks on these seemingly ghost facilities.

This is especially alarming given that recycling units fall under the “red category” – industries deemed the most polluting and therefore subject to the highest level of scrutiny and regulation.