Roshan Rao
Aug 15, 2025
STL, MO – In a major step toward promoting environmental sustainability and responsible electronic waste management, Roshan Rao, a high school junior, has collected over 1,000 pounds of e-waste in just four months.
ByteBack STL, the nonprofit founded by Rao, aims to make technology recycling more accessible to families and businesses across the St. Louis region. The nonprofit works diligently to address what Rao sees as the central roadblock in proper e-waste management: knowing where and how to dispose of unused electronics.“We’ve found that there is an alarming amount of unused technology just collecting dust in people’s homes,” said Rao, a student at John Burroughs High School. “No one likes clutter, but the issue is that people have no idea how to get rid of it. Our mission is to bridge that gap to improve environmental and public health.”
E-waste is rapidly becoming one of the most significant sources of harmful waste, with approximately 57.4 million metric tons produced annually, increasing by 2 million each year. Improper recycling poses major environmental and health concerns, including irreparable soil damage from seeping toxins, as well as various lung conditions affecting those exposed or in close proximity to waste facilities. By raising awareness and making recycling easy, this nonprofit is working to combat a global problem at the local level.
“Roshan has a keen understanding of the importance of responsible electronics recycling,” noted Dave Candelario, Principal at Spectrum Ecycle Solutions, Inc. “Although only recently launched, his ByteBack nonprofit is already having a positive impact by helping his community learn about electronics recycling and guiding them through the process.”
To learn more about Rao and his initiative or to schedule your own pickup, head to bytebackstl.com.