LG, Samsung Sue Government over New E-Waste Recycling Policy

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): Leading South Korean electronics manufacturers Samsung and LG have filed a lawsuit against the Indian government over the new rules governing the recycling of e-waste. The companies have submitted petitions to the Delhi High Court.

The nation's new rules, which require businesses to pay minimum amounts to recyclers of electronic trash, are perceived by the electronics manufacturing industries as placing undue financial obligations on them. Companies must pay a set floor price of INR 22 per kilogram for recycling consumer electronics and an even higher amount of INR 34 per kilogram for smartphones under the new regulations.

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The effort by the government intends to recruit formal companies to the electronics recycling business, which currently is dominated by informal sellers.

LG stated in a court filing that just taxing and evading businesses is not likely to help the government meet its environmental goals. Similar opinions were expressed by Samsung as well, which said that the rules would have significant financial repercussions and did not necessarily support environmental protection goals.

By the way, after the United States and China, India is the third-largest producer of e-waste worldwide. When compared to other major economies, the nation's e-waste recycling rates are much lower.