Journal of Artificial Intelligence, Virtual Reality, and Human-Centered Computing
AI & IoT for Smart E-Waste Tracking in India: A Policy-Practical Perspective
Abstract
Divyansh Chaurasia
India, the world’s third-largest WEEE generator (~1.6 million tonnes/year), faces rising sustainability and governance challenges as electronic consumption accelerates. This paper examines how Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Internet of Things (IoT) interventions can strengthen traceability, enforce Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), and enable a technology-driven circular economy aligned with Vision Viksit Bharat @2047. Drawing primarily on secondary data (policy documents, government and international reports, industry publications), four Indian case studies (Karo Sambhav, Attero Recycling, Ecoreco, Hulladek) and two semi-structured expert interviews, the paper maps technological roles across the e-waste value chain and proposes an actionable, phased roadmap for adoption. Indicative evidence suggests that IoT-enabled collection can reduce collection trips by ~50–60% and related costs by ~30%; AI-assisted sorting can raise recovery efficiency to the 90–95% range for targeted material streams. The paper concludes with short-term (2024–2027) and long-term (2028–2047) policy, institutional, and technical steps to realize scalable, equitable, and evidence-based e-waste management in India.