A record 62 million tonnes (Mt) of e-waste was produced in 2022, up 82 per cent from 2010; on track to rise another 32 per cent, to 82 million tonnes, in 2030. Billions of dollars’ worth of strategically valuable resources are squandered and dumped.
The world’s generation of electronic waste is rising five times faster than documented e-waste recycling, the UN‘s fourth Global E-waste Monitor (GEM) reveals.
The 62 million tonnes of e-waste generated in 2022 would fill 1.55 million 40-tonne trucks, roughly enough trucks to form a bumper-to-bumper line encircling the equator, according to the report from ITU and UNITAR.
“ Amidst the hopeful embrace of solar panels and electronic equipment to combat the climate crisis and drive digital progress, the surge in e-waste requires urgent attention,” Nikhil Seth, Executive Director, UNITAR.
Meanwhile, less than one quarter (22.3 per cent) of the year’s e-waste mass was documented as having been properly collected and recycled in 2022, leaving USD 62 billion worth of recoverable natural resources unaccounted for and increasing pollution risks to communities worldwide.
Worldwide, the annual generation of e-waste is rising by 2.6 million tonnes annually, on track to reach 82 million tonnes by 2030, a further 33 per cent increase from the 2022 figure.
E-waste, any discarded product with a plug or battery, is a health and environmental hazard, containing toxic additives or hazardous substances such as mercury, which can damage the human brain and coordination system.
The report foresees a drop in the documented collection and recycling rate from 22.3 per cent in 2022 to 20 per cent by 2030 due to the widening difference in recycling efforts relative to the staggering growth of e-waste generation worldwide.
“From discarded televisions to dumped telephones, an enormous amount of e-waste is generated around the world. The latest research shows that the global challenge posed by e-waste is only going to grow. With less than half of the world implementing and enforcing approaches to manage the problem, this raises the alarm for sound regulations to boost collection and recycling. The Global E-waste Monitor is the world’s foremost source for e-waste data allowing us to track progress over time and to make critical decisions when it comes to transitioning to a circular economy for electronics,” Cosmas Luckyson Zavazava, Director, ITU Telecommunication Development Bureau .
Challenges contributing to the widening gap include technological progress, higher consumption, limited repair options, shorter product life cycles, society’s growing electronification, design shortcomings, and inadequate e-waste management infrastructure.
The report underlines that if countries could bring the e-waste collection and recycling rates to 60 per cent by 2030, the benefits – including minimizing human health risks – would exceed costs by more than USD 38 billion.
It also notes that the world “remains stunningly dependent” on a few countries for rare earth elements, despite their unique properties crucial for future technologies, including renewable energy generation and e-mobility.