AI Boom and the Emerging E-Waste Challenge

Why in News?

• A new assessment by the Basel Action Network (BAN) has highlighted the potential rise in AI-related e-waste as data centres expand worldwide.
• Between 2025 and 2050, around 395–617 million tonnes of AI-related electronic equipment could be retired.

Key Findings

• By 2030, AI-related electronic waste could reach around 8.6–13.1 million tonnes annually.
• The waste would not come only from servers and GPUs. These account for only about 13% of AI data-centre equipment by weight.
• Other major sources include networking systems, power equipment, cooling systems and backup infrastructure.
• Rapid technological change may shorten the useful life of equipment, as older systems can become less suitable even when they are still functional.

Environmental and Security Concerns

• E-waste can contain hazardous substances such as lead and mercury, which can contaminate soil and water and harm human health if poorly managed.
• Reuse, repair and recovery of valuable materials can reduce the demand for new resources.
• Retired servers and storage devices may contain sensitive data, making secure data erasure essential before reuse or recycling.
• Improper international movement of e-waste to regions with weak recycling systems can increase environmental and health risks.

Significance for India

• India’s growing AI and data-centre sector could increase the country's future e-waste burden.
• Effective management will require proper reuse, repair, recycling, material recovery and safe disposal.
• The environmental impact of AI should therefore be assessed across its entire life cycle, from manufacturing and resource use to operation, replacement and disposal.

About Basel Action Network (BAN)

• Established: 1997 
• BAN was founded to continue the work of Greenpeace International’s Toxic Trade Campaign, which ended in 1996. 
• It is an environmental organisation focused on environmental health, justice and prevention of toxic waste trade. 
• BAN acts as a watchdog of the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal. 
• It advocates for the effective implementation of the Basel Convention (1989). 
• It supports the Basel Ban Amendment, which seeks to prohibit the export of hazardous waste from developed countries to developing countries.
• Its broader mission is to: 
  • End the international trade in toxic waste. 
  • Promote a toxic-free future. 
  • Protect everyone's right to a clean and healthy environment.
  • Promote global environmental health and justice.

Practice Question

Q. Consider the following statements regarding AI-related e-waste and the Basel Action Network (BAN):

1. The Basel Action Network was established to continue the work of Greenpeace International’s Toxic Trade Campaign after it ended in 1996. 
2. The Basel Ban Amendment seeks to prohibit the export of hazardous waste from developing countries to developed countries. 
3. Servers and GPUs constitute only a small share of AI data-centre equipment by weight, with other infrastructure such as networking, power and cooling systems forming a major share. 
4. The environmental impact of AI-related e-waste is limited primarily to pollution, as retired servers do not generally create data-security concerns. 

Which of the statements given above are correct?

(a) 1 and 3 only
(b) 1, 2 and 3 only
(c) 2 and 4 only
(d) 1, 3 and 4 only

Answer: (a) 1 and 3 only

Explanation

• The Basel Action Network (BAN) was established in 1997 to continue the work of Greenpeace International’s Toxic Trade Campaign, which ended in 1996. Hence, Statement 1 is correct. 
• The Basel Ban Amendment seeks to prohibit the export of hazardous wastes from developed countries to developing countries, and not the reverse. Hence, Statement 2 is incorrect. 
• Servers and GPUs account for only around 13% of AI data-centre equipment by weight; networking, power, cooling and backup systems constitute the major share. Hence, Statement 3 is correct. 
• Retired servers and storage devices may contain sensitive corporate and technical data, making secure data erasure an important concern alongside environmental risks. Hence, Statement 4 is incorrect.