New Delhi: The centre for Materials for Electronics Technology (C-MET) is an autonomous scientific society, operating under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Government of India. It operates three R&D laboratories in Pune, Hyderabad, and Thrissur, each dedicated to different aspects of critical electronic materials. The Hyderabad lab specifically focuses on advancing electronic and strategic materials, including metals and alloys.
A primary focus area for C-MET in Hyderabad is the development of environmentally friendly e-waste recycling technologies to enhance resource efficiency and foster a circular economy within the nation. India produces approximately 3.2 million tons of electronic waste annually, containing valuable materials such as Gold, Copper, Palladium, Silver, alongside hazardous substances like lead, cadmium, chromium, and mercury, posing significant health risks to humans.
The inauguration of the Centre of Excellence (CoE) on E-waste Management was overseen by S. Krishnan, Secretary of MeitY, alongside key officials including Jayesh Ranjan, Principal Secretary of IT E&C, GoT; Rajesh Singh, JS&FA, MeitY; Dr. Anil Kumar C, CE&MD, Greenko; Dr. Sandip Chatterjee, GC, MeitY; E. Magesh, DG, C-MET; and Ashok Kumar Khatwa, CE, CPWD. C-MET has pioneered this first-of-its-kind CoE in India under a public-private partnership model. The CoE has developed a range of e-waste recycling technologies including spent PCB, Li-Ion Battery, Permanent magnet, and Si-solar cells. C-MET not only innovates in recycling technologies but also engineers necessary processing equipment for implementation.
In his address, S. Krishnan emphasized the importance of a circular economy approach to e-waste management, highlighting its role in enhancing resource efficiency, reducing carbon footprint, recovering precious materials, and mitigating health hazards. He lauded C-MET’s commendable efforts in developing environmentally friendly e-waste recycling technologies and their successful transfer to multiple industries for commercialization. The extracted materials from e-waste will bolster the resilience of the supply chain for the burgeoning semiconductor industry, aligning with India’s mission for self-reliance and circular economy.
Dr. R. Ratheesh, Director of C-MET, Hyderabad, extended a warm welcome to the attendees, including C-MET scientists, staff, students, CPWD representatives, and Government of India officials.