Mahanth S. Joishy is Editor of usindiamonitor

On the one hand, millions of devices such as cell phones, tablets and laptops have connected us to each other like never before in recent years, and India as the most populous country in the world is a top market for these gadgets. In fact we are proud that people from well over 100 countries have viewed this site on their screens from thousands of different cities. India is also emerging as a hub for manufacturing iPhones and other electronics, which is generating employment and contributing to the GDP. However, there is a dark and toxic side to this trend that most of us will never see because it happens far downstream from the consumer, out of sight and out of mind. What happens to all those devices when we are done using them?

E-waste is a massive and growing problem, for India and for the world. Every device ever made and every battery within will sooner or later reach the end of its life. Most of us probably assume that the components of used electronics are easily recycled, but it’s not that simple. The highly dangerous process of transporting and handling the used materials is poorly regulated by governments, poorly controlled by the multinational corporate giants that profit from manufacturing and selling the devices, and the brunt of the peril is borne disproportionately by the poorest people in underdeveloped nations like India who are picking apart the e-waste with their bare hands and damaging their health. All too often it’s children doing this dirty work, and along the way our planet’s environment is also suffering damage.

Last year 1.39 billion cell phones were sold globally, and this number will only be going up. This excellent investigative video by DW Planet A is hard to watch in some moments, but we must confront some of the most dire consequences of our endless thirst for newer, better technology and higher profits. We cannot stand by while there is a golden opportunity to fix the problem through responsible regulatory and corporate actions to make it safe as well as environmentally sustainable.