International E-Waste Day, dedicated to raising awareness about the importance of proper management of electronic and electrical waste, is observed on October 14th. As one of the fastest-growing types of waste, e-waste is defined as any discarded product with a plug or battery. E-waste is full of hazardous substances that increasingly burden planet Earth.
According to the UN’s Fourth Global E-Waste Monitor (GEM) report, the world is facing a dramatic increase in e-waste, growing five times faster than the rate of its documented recycling. The report presents numerous figures that confirm this trend.
In 2022, a staggering 62 million tons of e-waste were generated, enough to fill 1.55 million 40-ton trucks, creating a line that could circle the equator, according to UNITAR’s website. This figure highlights an escalating crisis, as only 22.3 percent of this waste was properly collected and recycled. This means the remaining resources, estimated at $62 billion in recyclable materials, went unutilized, increasing pollution risks.
The growing volume of e-waste, which increases by 2.6 million tons annually, is on track to reach 82 million tons by 2030, a 33 percent rise compared to current levels.
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Rapid technological advancement, increased consumption, limited repair options, shorter product lifecycles, growing electrification of society, design flaws, and inadequate e-waste management infrastructure are some of the factors exacerbating the situation.
However, the report also highlights that raising the recycling rate to 60 percent by 2030 could yield benefits exceeding $38 billion, surpassing the costs. In terms of recycling achievements, Europe leads with a collection and recycling rate of 42.8 percent, while less than 1 percent of e-waste is recycled in African countries. Furthermore, Asian countries, which produce around 50 percent of global e-waste, show varying levels of legislative and infrastructural readiness.
Implementing e-waste policies remains a global challenge, with only 46 countries having set collection rate targets, and only 36 having set recycling rate targets.
These figures illustrate a significant rise over many years, prompting the United Nations to refer to this phenomenon as an “e-waste tsunami” a few years ago when data revealed that e-waste production from 2016 to 2018 increased by nearly six million tons.
This October 14th, let us reflect on the electronic devices we no longer use and take the necessary steps.
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