Some are working to avoid that

On the edges of a dense forest in southern India, six women in a small garage are busy stitching cloth bags, pants, hospital gowns and office uniforms with automated sewing machines.

On the edges of a dense forest in southern India, six women in a small garage are busy stitching cloth bags, pants, hospital gowns and office uniforms with automated sewing machines. The battery pack, made from used electric vehicle batteries, keeps their sewing machines and lights on even when the main power is off. While the group is successful, initiatives like it in India are still few and far between.

As clean energy infrastructure like solar panels and electric car batteries becomes more common in India, some small businesses are working to recycle them when they reach the end of their lifespan, dismantling panels to sell individual components and using...