An Overview On Environmental Impact Of E- Commerce In India

Author: LawSphereX

Category: Environmental Law

Published: 2026-08-23T17:56:28.881636+00:00

Updated: 2026-08-26T17:12:13.656+00:00

AN OVERVIEW ON ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF E-

COMMERCE IN INDIA

Snehalatha.B, School of Excellence in Law, The Tamilnadu Dr. Ambedkar Law University, Chennai

ABSTRACT

The digitalization of purchasing products have enormously increased in the past decade. The online mode of purchasing goods is the current trend in the new modern era. However, it is important to understand the impacts on the environment through online and offline trading of goods. The increase in purchasing of goods results in various environmental degradation such as generation of wastes, carbon emissions and others. The development of technology cannot be avoided as it is a source of the country’s economy. Understanding the sustainable practices in e-commerce or offline retail can help in promoting environment sustainability. The online trading includes large amount of packaging waste and disposal of e-waste.

On the positive aspect it reduces smaller amount of carbon emissions generated through vehicles in offline shopping but it has some negative impacts on the environment which should be addressed to protect from environment degradation. The regulatory authorities such as the Central Pollution control board and State pollution Control boards regulate the eco-friendly approaches to selling and purchasing of goods and services in most possible ways. Detailing the current challenges of environmental impacts caused through e-commerce can provide the insights of the solutions for the same. Comparing the e-commerce and offline retail effects on the environment can detail the suggestive measures for the same. There are environmental effects due to both online and offline retail. This paper will examine the environmental impacts of e-commerce in detail.

Keywords: Environment, e-commerce, offline retail, effects.

INTRODUCTION

Electronic Commerce or E-commerce refers to buying and selling of goods through online mode which is the opposite of offline retail which is the traditional way of purchasing goods in physical environment. From purchasing goods and warehousing to packaging and last-mile delivery, e-commerce operations involve many stages. Every one of these stages could have an effect on the environment, causing problems like energy use, carbon emissions, and packaging waste. Without proper measures, both online and offline purchasing and selling of goods have greater impact on the environment. Given that each product must be packaged separately for delivery, e-commerce typically produces more packaging waste, whereas traditional retail frequently has a higher carbon footprint from the movement of customers to physical stores.

E-commerce has grown rapidly and is now an essential component of the world economy. The traditional retail market has been drastically changed by the emergence of numerous ecommerce platforms, including Amazon, Flipkart etc. the emergence of these platforms has decreased the offline shops which has more impacts on the environment such as carbon emissions, wastage in energy sources etc. but e-commerce also poses some effects on the environment. The regulatory authorities such as the Central Pollution control board and State pollution Control boards regulate the eco-friendly approaches to selling and purchasing of goods and services in most possible ways. This paper examines the impacts of both ecommerce and offline retail in India and also in other countries. And also explains the solutions to the current challenges in regulating e-commerce practices to environmentally sound approach.

CURRENT SCENARIO OF E-COMMERCE AND OFFLINE RETAIL IN INDIA AND

THE NEED FOR ECO-FRIENDLY APPROACHES.

The 21st century has seen an enormous increase in e-commerce globally due to the quick development and widespread use of internet technologies. The traditional offline retail industry has been significantly impacted by e-commerce, a growing business model that has entered several industry sectors. E-commerce has presented opportunities and challenges to the offline retail sector in a number of ways, ranging from customer behaviour and purchasing habits to the evolution of retail channels. E-commerce platforms give consumers exceptional convenience, a large selection of goods, reasonable costs, and the freedom to consider options while relaxing in their homes. As a result, there are now less conventional physical stores and

a major shift in consumer behaviour. In e-commerce, customers can shop from the convenience of their homes or offices when they shop online, saving them time. Customers no longer have to travel as far to shops, which saves time and eases traffic. The environment benefits from less traffic since it lowers carbon emissions. E-commerce does, however, have adverse effects on the environment. However, depending on the location and customer behaviour, offline retail also known as physical store shopping can occasionally be regarded as more environmentally friendly than online shopping in specific scenarios where customers do not require separate deliveries for each item. The main sources of these impacts are the energy used to light and heat the store, the waste produced by packaging and product returns, the transportation emissions from customers travelling to the store1.

In both purchase processes, transportationrelated activities constitute the second-highest source of emissions. The growing e-commerce platforms results in generating larger electronic waste along with plastic pollution and carbon emissions as the extended producer responsibility which holds manufacturer responsible for e-waste management cannot be ensured every time with ecommerce platforms. There is a need for ensuring eco-friendly approaches to selling and purchasing of goods in online and offline ways. The environment is protected and made sustainable by online e-commerce companies that use natural, recycled, and organic materials to make, package, and ship their goods; assist local retailers and suppliers in reducing their carbon footprints; and run their offices and stores effectively (by using alternative energy, recycling programs, and recycled materials)2.

The question of which is more beneficial to environment online or offline retail cannot be stated as both have positive and negative impacts on the environment. The growth of these sectors cannot be stopped but the current scenario of e-commerce and offline retail impacts the environment which needs to be regulated to protect the environment. The selling and purchasing of goods are necessary for increasing the country’s economy but environmentally sustainable approach can reduce its impacts on the environment. There is need for regulations for ensuring proper eco-friendly practices in e-commerce and offline retail in India. 1 Chapter V: E-commerce and Environmental Sustainability, https://unctad. org/system/files/officialdocument/der2024_ch05_en. pdf

2 Oláh, Judit & Popp, Jozsef & Khan, Muhammad & Kitukutha, Nicodemus. (2023). Sustainable e-commerce

and environmental impact on sustainability. Economics and Sociology. 16. 85-105. 10.14254/2071- 789X.2023/16-1/6.

INTERNATIONAL PERSPECTIVE

The environmental impact of cross-border e-commerce is a worldwide concern that requires a coordinated international solution. International cooperation is essential to addressing the growing issue of packaging waste, the carbon footprint of logistics, and the incorporation of renewable energy into supply chains. Every country has laws governing e-commerce transactions at varying stages of development with regard to digital policies. Information responsibilities are part of this. The problem faced by the countries in e-commerce practices are how to divide responsibilities between the actual trader and the electronic platforms. Every jurisdiction has privacy laws, though they differ in how they handle data security. The European Union and France are the two countries which has regulations for green claims on e-commerce products3.

There is no direct legislation which governs the environmental impacts caused by ecommerce. However, there are consumer protection laws, implementing extended producer responsibility policies for ensuring protection to the environment from e-commerce practices. The majority of countries focuses on the product sustainability in the environment rather than the environmental impacts of e-commerce process. The greenwashing is one best example which means when a company promotes a product by false and misleading information of environmental benefits to gain profit from the public who purchases those products believing it to eco-friendly but instead it harms the environment. In China: China established an action guide on green e-commerce which addresses the environmental impacts of retail e-commerce in China.

Action recommendations for every effect type are included, along with important policy guidelines and industry best practices from China and other nations. Climate change, solid waste and the circular economy, chemicals management, biodiversity preservation, and sustainable food are some of the environmental implications that the report outlines4.

3 E-commerce and product sustainability information,

https://www.consumersinternational.org/media/451295/overview-of-policies-and-practices.pdf 4 Green E-commerce action guide (addressing the environmental impacts of retail e-commerce in China), One Planet network, https://www.oneplanetnetwork.org/knowledge-centre/resources/green-e-commerce-actionguide-addressing-environmental-impacts-retail e#:~:text=The%20Green%20E%2DCommerce%20Action,and%20industry%20best%20practices%20in

In United States: There are no laws that are only focused on controlling the environmental impact of online shopping. However, e-commerce businesses may be subject to existing environmental regulations and reporting requirements, such as requirements to report carbon emissions and incentives for implementing sustainable practices5. In Europe: There is an enormous amount to explore in the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulations (P&PWR) that the European Union plans to implement in early 20256. These guidelines seek to minimise plastic use, cut down on packaging waste, and advance sustainability. While there are benefits to complying with these objectives, e-commerce companies also face major operational difficulties and financial impacts.

To prevent themselves from getting without difficulties with the law and support a more sustainable economy, online sellers must abide by the relevant national EPR rules. This involves paying fees that support recycling and waste disposal initiatives as well as registering with national EPR-systems. Online shops contribute to waste reduction and material recycling rates by following EPR regulations. Furthermore, in every member state where they have still not established, traders will be required to designate an authorised representative for extended producer responsibility. Compliance can be particularly challenging for online retailers that ship abroad because EPR and waste standards are applied at the national level throughout Europe. In Singapore: The Resource Sustainability Act, 20197 provides for extended producer responsibility for packaging wastes.

The brand owners, manufacturers, importers, and supermarkets are among the producers of packaging and packaged goods that must report on the types and quantities of packaging they put on the market as well as their strategies for recycling, reusing, and reducing 5 Martina Igini, The environmental impact of online shopping Earth. Org (2024), https://earth. org/onlineshopping-and-its-environmental-impact/ 6 Packaging waste, Environment, https://environment. ec. europa. eu/topics/waste-and-recycling/packagingwaste_en#:~:text=The%20PPWR%20enters%20into%20force,circular%2C%20sustainable%20and%20competi tive%20economy. 7 Extended producer responsibility: RKC-MPD, RKC, https://alpha. rkcmpd-eria. org/extended-producerresponsibility/legal-framework/singapore#:~:text=In%20effect- ,Mandatory%20Packaging%20Reporting,plan%20aimed%20to%20reduce%20packaging.

it under the Mandatory Packaging Reporting (MPR) framework outlined in Part 4 of the Act. By reducing waste and embracing a circular economy strategy, the ultimate goal is for Singapore to maintain future growth. Supporting developing nations' e-commerce needs international cooperation, particularly as they embrace sustainable practices in their expanding digital economy. The sustainable methods in their expanding digital markets. Upholding the United Nations Guidelines for Consumer Protection could help to strengthen the industry's sustainability and consumer confidence in online transactions. Regional and multilateral financial organisations can also help by providing technical and financial support for infrastructure initiatives that support ecommerce and the overall economy.

LEGISLATIONS IN INDIA FOR ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION OF E-

COMMERCE PRACTICES

In India, there is no direct legislation which provides for environment protection of ecommerce practices. However, the Indian government included sustainable e-commerce practices in various legislations. The online platforms for purchasing and selling of goods must adhere to the regulations to ensure environment sustainability. From purchasing goods and warehousing to packaging and last-mile delivery, e-commerce operations include several stages. Every one of these stages could have an effect on the environment by causing problems like energy use, carbon emissions, and packaging waste. The legislations which provide for environment protection of e-commerce practices are:

1. E-waste Management and Handling Rules, 2022: it provides of electronic waste

management. The e-waste can be generated through e-commerce platforms as well and the extended producer responsibility is applicable to those producers in e-commerce platforms8.

2. The Plastic Waste Management Rules, 20169: The E-commerce businesses are greatly

impacted by the. This means that they must make sure that the plastic packaging used

8 E-WASTE-MANAGEMENT-RULES-2022, https://www.mppcb.mp.gov.in/proc/E-Waste-Management-Rules-

2022-English.pdf

9 Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016, https://thc.nic.in/Central Governmental Rules/Plastic Waste

Management Rules, 2016.pdf

in their deliveries is properly collected, recycled, and disposed of. In other words, they are held accountable for the environmental impact of their packaging materials over every stage of the product lifecycle. Plastic Waste Management Rules of 2016 because of its "Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)" clause, which requires them to manage the waste from plastic packaging generated by their products

3. Consumer Protection Act, 2019: it provides provisions for greenwashing of products.

The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA)10 is empowered to penalise companies that make false or misleading environmental claims in advertisements, effectively banning "greenwashing" practices. The Consumer Protection Act of 2019 contains the majority of the provisions against greenwashing, and depending on the seriousness of the offence, violators could be subject to fines and imprisonment.

4. Extended Producer Responsibility11: the e-commerce sellers are subjected to EPR

regulations for the products sold. The E-Waste (Management) Rules established by the Indian government essentially force e-commerce platforms to emphasise sustainable practices in their operations by requiring online sellers and manufacturers of electronic products to manage the waste generated by their products, including collection, recycling, and proper disposal. This effectively makes them responsible for the entire lifecycle of their electronic goods, from production to end-of-life.

5. Environment Protection Act, 198612: It is the umbrella legislation which protects and

penalizes offences which disrupts the environment. The act provides penalties for offences in violation of e-waste rules, plastic waste rules etc.

IMPACTS ON ENVIRONMENT OF E-COMMERCE

The World Economic Forum analysis estimates that 165 billion items are shipped through ecommerce each year, and this figure is only expected to increase13. Given that greenhouse gas 10 Home: Department of consumer affairs: Central consumer protection authority: GOI, Home | Department of Consumer Affairs | Central Consumer Protection Authority | GOI, https://doca.gov.in/ccpa/

11 Extended producer responsibility: Indian perspective last,

https://www.gpcgateway.com/uploads/reports/qKTwo3C0RjT4padtrmpa8Imjn.pdf

12 The Environment (Protection) Act, 1986,

https://www.indiacode.nic.in/bitstream/123456789/4316/1/ep_act_1986.pdf

13 These are the world’s biggest e-commerce markets, World Economic Forum,

https://www.weforum.org/stories/2021/09/e-commerce-fast-growth-online-sales-china-europe-america/

emissions are produced at every stage of the supply chain, from manufacturing to shipping, ecommerce issues are frequently ignored. Behind the scenes, transportation-related carbon emissions and factory production both contribute to global warming. Despite this, the waste collection service clearly shows the waste generated by transporting products. Although there are many benefits to e-commerce for both buyers and sellers, the environment is being impacted as an outcome of its operations. Some impacts of e-commerce on environment are:

PACKAGING WASTE:

In E-commerce, every seller produces goods to the customers with larger parcels. This is to ensure damage free delivery to the customers. This can be beneficial to the consumers who gets their product damage free but on the other side the larger amount of packaging used takes a toll on the environment. Packaging in e-commerce uses more plastic than it would have in conventional physical stores. One reason for this is that e-commerce increases the quantity of shipments. While products are typically shipped in bulk to the store in traditional retail, they are typically shipped individually to the customer in e-commerce. Due to the complexity of the e-commerce supply chain, the industry finds plastic's unique qualities such as lightweight, high-performing, and inexpensive particularly appealing.

As a result, the industry is more likely to rely on plastic for packaging, which leads to an excess creation of packaging wastes. At present, India ranks as the eighth-largest e-commerce market worldwide. In addition, the packaging industry in India is growing quickly. Some e-commerce businesses have made an effort in recent years to reduce the waste generated by plastic packaging by replacing paper to some extent, letting customers choose not to use plastic coverings, etc. However, there are still many ways that plastic packaging is used, such as thick plastic product covers, polystyrene or bubble wrap for fragile shipments, plastic net/mesh for fruits and vegetables14, compostable grocery bags, plastic food containers, and so on.

CARBON EMISSIONS:

The transportation for shipment of goods from manufacturer to customer involves various intermediaries in e-commerce. As these online platforms involve higher shipment intermediaries which increases the transportation. A product's carbon footprint can be significantly raised by the transportation of items to customers. This has become a greater

14 Pongrácz, Eva. (2007). The Environmental Impacts of Packaging. 10.1002/9780470168219.ch9.

problem as e-commerce keeps developing around the world. According to estimates, transportation-related emissions from e-commerce may eventually account for a significant portion of total carbon emissions15. Online shopping's ease of use has increased spending by consumers. When combined with the operational requirements of product delivery, this adds to e-commerce's significant environmental impact by increasing transportation-related carbon emissions. One important part of the e-commerce supply chain that contributes to the environmental impact is warehousing. Distribution centres are located far from cities which increase the distance that goods must travel to reach consumers, which increases carbon emissions.

ENERGY CONSUMPTION:

E-commerce transactions serve multiple uses, including business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-customer (B2C) transactions. B2B transactions involve the movement of goods from suppliers to manufacturers to wholesalers to retailers, whereas B2C transactions involve the movement of goods from retailers to final consumers16. Faster delivery demands often result in vehicles travelling with half of their fuel, which raises the consumption of energy. Additionally, e-commerce frequently favours quicker ways of delivery, which can significantly increase fuel usage. Energy use increases significantly when trucks are chosen over rail or boats. The energy consumption is significantly increased when the same package is transported by air once more.

Consequently, since e-commerce generally encourages consumer demands for faster, more energy-intensive delivery routes, it can be partially responsible for the rise in transportation energy consumption. The e-commerce supply chain depends largely on warehousing, but these establishments also use a lot of energy for heating, cooling, and lighting, which increases the environmental impact. Businesses that engage in e-commerce require additional computers, cables, servers, and other equipment for a network environment and internet connections. Customers must buy additional appliances for their personal computers and internet access in order to meet the needs of the business. All appliances consume higher electricity. The amount of e-waste generation also

15 Manas Sarkar, Last-mile carbon emission under e-commerce environmental perspective SCIRP (2023),

https://www.scirp.org/journal/paperinformation?paperid=129936#:~:text=It%20is%20estimated%20that%20the, accounted%20for%20over%2070%25%20of

16 Andrew Bloomenthal, E-commerce defined: Types, history, and examples Investopedia,

https://www.investopedia.com/terms/e/ecommerce.asp

increases alongside and energy required for waste transportation and treatment will grow due to the e-waste management.

COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF IMPACTS IN THE ENVIRONMENT FOR E-

COMMERCE AND OFFLINE RETAIL AND THEIR REGULATIONS

S.N

IMPACTS ON

E-COMMERCE

OFFLINE RETAIL

O

THE

ENVIRONMENT

1. Meaning

E-commerce refers to buying and selling of goods and services through online mode. Offline retail is the traditional way of purchasing goods and services in physical environment. The grievance of consumers will be addressed under consumer protection act, 2019. There is no direct legislation which provides regulations for impacts on environment of e-commerce businesses. But the environment protection laws as well as the consumer protection laws govern the e-commerce practices in the same way as retail businesses.

2. Waste Generation

In e-commerce, the packaging waste generation would be higher as it involves many intermediaries to safely reach the products to the customers. Packaging like bubble wrap, plastic wrappings are used to deliver the products. In Physical retail businesses the packaging would be lesser compared with ecommerce as they involve direct delivery from sellers to consumers. However, business have a greater involvement in dumping of waste (e-waste, hazardous waste, solid waste without proper consent). These are governed by various rules, e-waste rules, 2022, biomedical waste rules,

201617 and others to provide

The rules for packaging wastes are provided under Plastic Waste Management Rules of 2016 with "Extended Producer Responsibility

(EPR)"

which

requires these online platforms to manage the waste. waste management measures.

3. Carbon Emissions

Online platforms involve higher shipment intermediaries which increases the transportation. Similar to online platforms, the goods are transported from manufacturers to sellers in bulk quantities which also increases the carbon footprint. A product's carbon footprint can be

significantly raised by the transportation of items to customers. The Environment Protection Act, 1986 and along with Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) act, 198118 may apply to e-commerce companies that have data centres, warehouses, or delivery services if their operations result in greenhouse gas emissions or air pollution. Laws such as the Energy Conservation Act19, the Environment Protection Act, and the Air Pollution Act primarily regulate the carbon emissions of retail establishments.

4. Energy

consumption E-commerce frequently favours quicker ways of delivery, which can significantly increase fuel usage. Energy use increases significantly when trucks are chosen over rail or boats. The energy consumption is significantly increased when the same package is transported by air. For lights, HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning), and to operate electronic devices and offline retail establishments frequently need a significant amount of energy. The energy demand increases with shop expansion. The high carbon footprint of retail establishments is caused by their extensive usage of non-renewable energy sources. E-commerce companies with large operations, like data centres and warehouses, can be mandated to perform energy audits in-order to evaluate and lower their energy usage under the Energy Conservation Act of 2001. Retail spaces can reduce their carbon impact through

compliance with the Energy Conservation Building Code (ECBC)20, which is governed by the Energy Conservation Act and offers recommendations for the design and construction of energy-efficient commercial buildings. These rules must be adhered to by retailers in order to reduce energy usage. By comparing the environmental effects of e-commerce and offline retail, it can be understood that there is underlying need to address the issues of environment effects of e-commerce. The regulatory authorities should ensure that e-commerce businesses follow the guidelines issued in an environmentally sound manner. Suggesting environment sustainable practices can be one of the solutions provided to these environment impacts.

ENVIRONMENT SUSTAINABILITY IN E-COMMERCE ERA

It refers to the practice of online companies minimising their environmental impact while still operating successfully in the digital marketplace through implementing strategies like ecofriendly packaging, delivery route optimisation, return waste reduction, and sustainable product sourcing into practice; in other words, striking a balance between environmental responsibility and economic growth in the environment of online shopping. The main goal of e-commerce companies is customer satisfaction, and if they receive superior packaging, they will return for further purchases. To encourage more vendors to embrace these best-in-class standards, Amazon, for instance, started providing incentives to sellers who switched to Frustration-Free Packaging (FFP)21.

The last-mile delivery system for e-commerce, and the per-item footprint of last-mile delivery drastically decreases as the number of ecommerce users increases. While shipping, warehousing, packing, and computer networks are 20 Energy conservation building code (ECBC): Up saves energy, Energy Conservation Building Code (ECBC) | up saves energy, https://upsavesenergy. com/SDAActivitiesECBC. aspx 21 Retailer guide: Amazon, EcoEnclose, https://www. ecoenclose. com/resources/retailerguide/amazon? srsltid=AfmBOoomIDDqmgi67E5sew0S7uxcrSKuePX50-13xiWOHw8b63Ej8gc3

the biggest contributions to e-commerce, consumer transportation, warehousing, and retail store operations are the biggest contributors to the carbon footprint of retail establishments. The environment is preserved and made sustainable by online e-commerce companies that use natural, recycled, and organic materials to make, package, and ship their goods; assist local retailers and suppliers in lowering their carbon footprints; and run their offices and stores effectively (by utilising alternative energy, recycling programs, and recycled materials). Convenience, quick e-payment, high-quality products at lower prices, and job development are all benefits of sustainable e-commerce. However, it does not currently include delivery times, logistics, packing, shipping choices, or environmental effects.

Reducing waste and increasing product longevity are the cornerstones of the circular economy framework. This business model in e-commerce entails creating goods that are long-lasting, capable of repair, and eventually recyclable. The goal is to establish a closed-loop system in which products are recycled, recycled, or repaired after their useful lives. By starting recycling programs where customers may return used clothing items for recycling or reuse, companies such as H&M have put the ideals of the circular economy into practice. In addition to reducing waste, this improves the brand's image as environmentally careful.

SOME SOLUTIONS TO THE CURRENT CHALLENGES OF ENSURING

ENVIRONMENT SUSTAINABILITY OF E-COMMERCE PLATFORMS

Some solutions to the existing challenges posed by the e-commerce businesses on environment:

1. Promoting eco-friendly practices: E-commerce platforms can involve eco-friendly

ways to deliver goods and services. This means using of electronic vehicles or low emission vehicles to transport the products from manufacturers to customers. For example, The Swiggy online Food ordering platform which provides the customers the option for eco-friendly deliveries with the use of electronic vehicles.

2. Reducing the prices for environment sustainable goods and practices: Generally, the

prices fixed for eco-friendly products are slightly higher than the normal products. Providing the goods and services in lesser price can make the customers opt for those products and practices. With the same example of Swiggy online platform, the ecosaver option for delivering the items require higher time than the normal option for

delivering the items. This is because in eco-saver option the delivery agent compiled with four to five deliveries together to lessen the carbon emissions. If the customers are given with some discounts for choosing the eco-saver option would encourage them to opt those methods.

3. Eco-friendly packaging of products: Eco-friendly packaging options, such as

recyclable, biodegradable, or reusable materials, have been looked into by e-commerce companies. In an effort to reduce out waste, they are also trying to minimise extra packing.

4. To have effective Storage: Sustainable warehousing techniques, like LED lighting,

energy-efficient construction, and the use of renewable energy sources, lessen the impact on the environment and energy usage.

5. Amendment to the legislations and rules: By amending the acts and the rules related to

environment protection of business practices to include e-commerce businesses and appoint authorities for regulating those would be beneficial for taking actions against the violations of those practices.

6. Designing Sustainable Products and the Circular Economy: Circular economy lowers

the total amount of waste produced and encourages the reuse of goods and resources in a circular economy. It prolongs the lifespan of products, reducing their carbon footprint and to promote environmentally friendly product sourcing by providing goods manufactured from renewable or recycled resources22

CONCLUSION:

A more environmentally friendly digital economy requires the implementation of strict

regulations regarding packaging materials, an increase of electric vehicle use, and the promotion of sustainable sourcing methods. Furthermore, consumer education and awareness are important. The environmental effect of e-commerce can be considerably decreased by empowering customers to make sustainable decisions, encouraging responsible consumption,

22 Snigdha Goel, Mospi,

https://www.mospi.gov.in/sites/default/files/main_menu/Seminar/Policy%20on%20Waste%20Management%20 -%20MOEFCC.pdf

and supporting recycling and appropriate disposal methods. Online retailers in India can significantly lessen their environmental impact and encourage sustainability throughout their supply chains and operations by implementing these suggested strategies into practice. By studying the international perspective, it can be understood the world is still adapting to the digital e-commerce businesses and the e-commerce impacts on the environment are greatly ignored. In India, the online businesses have increased enormously and needs strict rules to ensure environment sustainability. The common problems faced by the authorities while regulating environment protection from e-commerce platforms are first problem would be in identifying the violator of the regulations as the process involves various intermediaries.

Second problem can be the lack of rules for regulating those practices would put those authorities in taking strict actions against them. These are some problems which needs to immediately addressed to ensure environment protection from e-commerce businesses. Ecommerce can be considered as a positive change when compared with the traditional retail businesses as it creates some eco-friendly options. However, it cannot be stated that ecommerce doesn’t cause any environmental impacts it also poses some impacts to the environment. In conclusion, the rapid growth of e-commerce has surely created environmental problems, but it has also created opportunities for creativity, awareness, and positive change.

REFERENCES

WEBLIOGRAPHY

Chapter

V:

E-commerce and Environmental Sustainability, https://unctad.org/system/files/official-document/der2024_ch05_en.pdf • Oláh, Judit & Popp, Jozsef & Khan, Muhammad & Kitukutha, Nicodemus. (2023). Sustainable e-commerce and environmental impact on sustainability. Economics and Sociology. 16. 85-105. 10.14254/2071-789X.2023/16-1/6 • Martina Igini, The environmental impact of online shopping Earth.Org (2024), https://earth.org/online-shopping-and-its-environmental-impact/ • E-commerce and product sustainability information, https://www.consumersinternational.org/media/451295/overview-of-policies-andpractices.pdf • Pongrácz, Eva. (2007). The Environmental Impacts of Packaging. 10.1002/9780470168219.ch9. • Manas Sarkar, Last-mile carbon emission under e-commerce environmental perspective

SCIRP

(2023), https://www.scirp.org/journal/paperinformation?paperid=129936#:~:text=It%20is%20 estimated%20that%20the,accounted%20for%20over%2070%25%20of

BIBLIOGRAPHY

BOOKS

1. E-Commerce in India: Economic and Legal Perspectives by Sage publications private

limited

2. The Environment (Protection) Act, 1986

3. Consumer Protection Act, 2019

4. The Air (Prevention and control of Pollution) Act, 1981

5. The Energy Conservation Act, 2001

RULES

1. Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016

2. Biomedical waste Management Rules, 2016

3. E-waste Management and Handling Rules, 2022