Godrej urges young citizens to rethink their e-waste impact

Godrej Enterprises Group’s appliances business has launched a new chapter of its India v/s E-Waste initiative through an awareness campaign titled ‘The e-waste that we eat, but shouldn’t’. The campaign highlights how mismanaged e-waste can enter soil and water systems, ultimately finding its way into the food consumed daily. Through visual metaphors featuring familiar food items filled with toxic e-waste elements, the initiative encourages students and young citizens to understand the long-term risks associated with improper disposal.

The campaign is contextualised by growing national and global concerns around e-waste. According to the Press Information Bureau, India generated nearly 1.3 million metric tonnes of e-waste during FY 24-25. The issue is global in scale. The UN’s fourth Global E-waste Monitor reports that annual global e-waste volumes are rising by 2.6 million tonnes and could reach 82 million tonnes by 2030. In 2022, worldwide e-waste totalled 62 billion kg, with only 22.3% formally collected and recycled through environmentally appropriate processes. Improperly discarded electronic devices release toxic materials into soil and groundwater, eventually entering food chains and posing risks to human health, ecosystems and future generations.

 

 

 

 

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The India v/s E-Waste programme has previously focused on driving citizen participation in safe e-waste disposal. Over the years, Godrej has collected and recycled more than a lakh tonne of e-waste and has educated over 5 lakh people on safe disposal practices. The latest phase builds on this work by bringing the conversation into schools and digital platforms. The brand has released a series of short social media videos featuring popular food items visually reimagined with hazardous e-waste components. Each video encourages viewers to download a guide on responsible disposal.

Godrej is also conducting awareness workshops across more than 200 schools. These sessions feature life-sized ‘E-waste Table’ installations crafted from discarded appliance parts and 3D models such as ‘Toxic Tacos’ and ‘Circuit Board Cake’. These visual elements are designed to help students understand how discarded appliances, gadgets and electronic toys may re-enter their bodies through the food chain when not processed safely.

Kamal Nandi, business head and evp of the appliances business at Godrej Enterprises Group, said, “Our brand’s foundation is deeply rooted in pioneering progress for our people, nation and planet. With this visually impactful e-waste awareness campaign, our aim is to encourage citizens to rethink their e-waste footprint, to nudge them towards responsible e-waste disposal for safeguarding our future.”

Swati Rathi, head of marketing for the appliances business at Godrej Enterprises Group, added, “With young India growing up as digital natives surrounded by appliances, electronic toys and gadgets, the e-waste burden is only set to rise further. As a responsible brand with environment stewardship as one of our core values we want to help our young generation start right, when it comes to e-waste disposal habits. This awareness campaign speaks to young India through the language of food, using impactful visual metaphors to help them connect e-waste to their own health and wellbeing, encouraging them to be more mindful about responsible e-waste disposal.”

The initiative is being executed with Hulladek as the e-waste partner and is supported by pan-India school activations, social media amplification and digital video promotion. The idea is conceptualised and executed with Adfactors PR and Tribes Communication, using storytelling and visual cues to make the issue urgent and accessible for younger audiences.