New Delhi: E-waste recycling company Attero is looking to invest ₹150 crores to scale up its rare earth recycling capabilities from the current 300 tonnes to 30,000 tonnes over the next two years. This development comes at a time when China is increasingly weaponising its dominance in rare earth extraction and processing, with rare earths being crucial for the manufacture of electronics and emerging technologies.
Attero aims to set up e-waste recycling plants in Pune, Bengaluru, and Faridabad, with the aim of cornering 30% of India’s formal rare earth recycling market. Each of the three e-waste plants will have a capacity of 25,000 tonnes each, besides its Reengus (Rajasthan) plant that processes 25,000 tonnes. Currently, Attero’s Roorkee facility processes 144,000 tonnes of e-waste per annum, and this investment is aimed at making Attero India’s number one rare-earth e-waste recycler.
According to its website, Attero has 46 globally recognized patents to recycle Lithium-ion batteries, e-waste segregation and component removal. The company aims to add 800-1000 jobs through this investment.
“Recycling today is driven by technology. Robotics, automated dismantling systems and precision-based material recovery tools help us extract metals with far greater accuracy and safety. As India consumes more electronics and batteries, the country needs recycling facilities that can handle large volumes while maintaining consistent quality. The plants we are building reflect this need. They will use robotic dismantling lines, automated battery cutters and advanced sorting systems that raise efficiency and reduce the loss of valuable materials. Our aim is to make high-quality recycling accessible across regions while building processes that are ready for the future.” Nitin Gupta, Co-founder and CEO of Attero, said.
The company currently has the capabilities to process critical elements like cobalt, nickel, lithium, graphite, silver, gold and manganese besides rare earth elements (REEs). Attero aims to eventually expand beyond India, even as the global e-waste market is estimated to reach 82 million tonnes by 2030.
