UN Report Says E-Waste Production Far Outpacing Recycling, Raising Environmental and Economic Concerns

The UN warns that e-waste production is surpassing recycling efforts, posing environmental and economic risks.

March 21, 2024 TruthUSA

According to the report, 68 million tons of e-waste were produced worldwide in 2022 but only around 15.4 million tons were recycled.

Global production of electronic waste has outpaced the growth in global e-waste recycling by five times, raising serious environmental and economic concerns, according to the United Nations’ Global E-waste Monitor.

According to the U.N., electronic waste, or e-waste, is any household or business item with circuitry, electrical components, power, or battery supply that has been discarded. In different regions around the world, it is also referred to as electronic equipment, electrical waste, or e-scrap.

Around a third of e-waste comes from small devices like toys, vacuum cleaners, and cameras. Other examples of e-waste include cell phones, laptops, screens, monitors, televisions, and refrigerators.

In the new March 20 report from the U.N.’s Global E-waste Monitor, e-waste is described as the fastest growing and most complex waste stream in the world, affecting the environment, health, and rapidly increasing the loss of valuable raw materials.

According to the report, 68 million tons of e-waste were produced worldwide in 2022 but only around 15.4 million tons were recycled. At least 34 million tons of precious metals were left in e-waste in 2022 as well. If extracted and reused, the report’s authors claim they would be worth around $91 billion, minus costs of recovery.

Common metals such as copper and iron can efficiently be recycled at high rates; however, precious metals like gold, cobalt, lithium, and neodymium are often neglected. The report’s lead author, Kees Baldé, says the data shows the increase in e-waste needs to be addressed sooner rather than later.