In workshops in India, local craftsmen not only repair computer equipment. They also create «Frankenstein laptops». They bring tech back to life by combining motherboards, screens, and batteries found in other discarded devices or e-waste to create fully functional, low-cost gadgets.
«There is a huge demand for such «hybrid» laptops», — says Sushil Prasad, one of these craftsmen. «Most people don’t want to be in the market for new products — they just want a device that works and doesn’t break the bank».
He explains that the technicians use usable components from old or discarded systems to create a new working device. For example, they take capacitors, touchpads, transistors, diodes, and some chips from the motherboards of old laptops and insert them into refurbished models.
«We literally pick them out of the trash! We accept used laptops and electronic waste from countries like Dubai and China, fix them, and sell them for half the price of new ones»,” the workshop explains.
These «Frankenstein laptops», assembled from parts of various brands, are sold to students, freelancers, and small businesses. They are a lifesaver for those who cannot afford modern devices.
As a result, a student or freelancer can buy a good device for 10 thousand rupees (about $110) instead of spending 70 thousand (about $800) on a new one. For many, this is the only way to be able to study or work.
Despite the fact that «Frankenstein laptops» have become a lifeline for many, the repair industry faces serious obstacles. Many manufacturers deliberately make repairs more difficult by restricting access to spare parts, using special screws and software locks, forcing customers to buy new devices instead of repairing old ones.
Satish Singha, deputy director of Toxics Link, a waste management organization, believes that companies are promoting «planned obsolescence» by making repairs more difficult and forcing people to buy new devices. And such repair shops help reduce the amount of electronic waste.
It is worth noting that the Indian government has already begun discussing right-to-repair laws inspired by similar initiatives in the EU and the US. However, progress remains slow, and repair shops still operate in the «gray area», having to buy spare parts on informal markets and search for them among e-waste.
For example, Delhi’s Silampur market, the largest e-waste hub in India, processes about 30,000 tons of e-waste daily, and nearly 50,000 informal workers find valuable components in it. The market looks like a chaotic maze of mountains of broken circuit boards, tangled wires, and cracked screens, where workers carefully select anything that can still be used.
Source: The Verge
