E-Waste and the Circular Economy
Right to Repair
How the right-to-repair movement seeks access to parts, tools and manuals so devices can be fixed, and India's 2022 repairability portal and index.
Many devices are hard to repair.
Barriers
- Parts unavailable or expensive.
- Manuals and tools restricted.
- Software locks that block third-party repairs.
- Glued batteries and sealed designs.
The movement
Right-to-repair campaigns want manufacturers to provide parts, tools and information.
Laws
- The EU adopted a right-to-repair directive in 2024.
- Several US states passed laws.
India
- In 2022, India launched a Right to Repair portal for consumer goods like phones, appliances and cars.
- The government proposed a repairability index for phones and tablets in 2025.
Why it matters
- Longer product lives reduce e-waste.
- Lower costs for consumers.
- Jobs for repair shops.
Company concerns
Firms cite safety, security and intellectual property.
Economic view
Restricting repairs can give manufacturers market power in repairs and push replacements.
The phone repair shop
A repair shop in Nehru Place fixes a phone screen for far less than the brand's service centre, extending the phone's life by years.
Thinking repair restrictions only protect quality
They can also boost manufacturers' market power.
Key takeaways
- Devices are often hard to repair.
- Right-to-repair seeks parts, tools and manuals.
- The EU adopted a directive in 2024.
- India launched a repair portal in 2022.
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