New Delhi: Marking World E-Waste Day, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) and the Ministry of Education (MoE) have launched the next phase of the E-Waste Awareness and Reduction Campaign in collaboration with UNICEF YuWaah and the Bajaj Foundation under the Mission LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment) initiative.
India generates an estimated 1.4 million metric tons of electronic waste in FY 2024–25, making the need for awareness and responsible recycling more urgent than ever. Building on the success of the earlier phase in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Tamil Nadu—which engaged over 70,000 students across 13 cities—the new campaign will now expand to Haryana, Punjab, Assam, Rajasthan, and the Union Territory of Chandigarh.
This phase aims to equip young people with the knowledge and motivation to act through school-based learning, community outreach, and e-waste collection drives. The goal is to promote sustainable habits, responsible consumption, and recycling among youth and communities.
Abhishek Gupta, Chief Operating Officer, YuWaah at UNICEF, said, “Building on the success of our earlier campaign, this phase marks a powerful expansion of our partnership with MoEFCC and the Department of School Education and Literacy. Together with the Bajaj Foundation, we are empowering young people as changemakers—translating awareness into meaningful, large-scale climate action for a circular and sustainable future.”
Shohini Dutta, Chief Philanthropy Officer, Bajaj Foundation, shared, “Every child who learns about e-waste today can inspire a family, a school, even a city tomorrow. Our collaboration with MoEFCC, DoSEL, UNICEF YuWaah, and the Meri LiFE platform reflects our shared belief that true change happens when awareness turns into action. Through this initiative, we aim to transform knowledge into collective responsibility and everyday choices into a nationwide movement for a cleaner, more conscious India.”
Adding to this, Pankaj Bajaj, Founder and Director, Bajaj Foundation, said, “The circular economy thrives when citizens and systems work together. Our role is to support and strengthen MoEFCC’s mission by mobilising communities and schools to make responsible consumption and recycling a part of everyday life.”
The campaign continues to build momentum toward Mission LiFE’s broader objective of promoting sustainable lifestyles, empowering students and communities to become active participants in shaping a cleaner, greener future.
BI Bureau
