NEW DELHI: To tackle the rising menace of electronic waste, the Delhi government has made it mandatory to include a clause for recycling e-waste in all procurement contracts.
All departments and autonomous bodies under the city government have been directed to include an e-waste recycling clause in their tender documents.
As per the new directive, any e-waste generated during the execution of a contract must be handed over exclusively to authorised recycling agencies. Officials believe the move will ensure the environmentally sound disposal of electronic waste.
The directions follow the latest meeting of the steering committee of the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), which was attended by the Chief Secretary last month.
In the meeting, the committee allegedly underscored the need for appropriate regulatory interventions to ensure responsible disposal of e-waste.
"In order to address the concern of air quality in Delhi-NCR, Govt. of NCT of Delhi has reviewed the progress on the subject through the Steering Committee under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP). The Committee under the Chairmanship of Chief Secretary, in its 10th meeting held on 27/06/2025, has underscored the need for appropriate regulatory interventions to ensure environmentally sound disposal of e-waste," the order issued by the Finance Department read.
"Accordingly, it has been decided that henceforth, it would be mandatory for the Departments/Autonomous Bodies under Govt. of NCT of Delhi to include a clause in all tender documents pertaining to procurement of goods, services, etc., through any public procurement process, that any e-waste generated during the execution of contracts shall be disposed of only through authorised recycling agencies," it added.
According to estimates, Delhi generates around 152,000 metric tonnes of e-waste annually, much of which ends up in informal recycling sectors or landfills. Toxic heavy metals like lead, mercury, and cadmium, along with hazardous chemicals, leach into the soil and groundwater, contaminating natural resources and posing long-term risks to agriculture and the water supply.