E-waste consists of any disposed devices that contain a power outlet or battery. It may contain toxic additives or hazardous materials such as mercury and represent an environmental and health risk.
“These goods are often difficult to repair,” said Kees Baldi, a senior scientific specialist in the Sustainability Courses Program at the United Nations Institute for Training and Research. “They easily become waste, and thus waste increases worldwide.”
“E-waste increases more rapidly than recycling efforts… We are simply losing the battle,” he added.
In 2022, the global annual total of e-waste reached 62 million metric tons, an increase of 82 percent from 2010. E-waste generation is increasing by 2.6 million tons annually, which means it could reach 82 million metric tons by 2030.
“The vast majority of electronic waste is not managed well,” Baldi said. “It can end up in landfills, such as small items like your cell phones or toothbrushes that people dispose of in waste that cannot be recycled.”
UN experts attribute this increase to factors including high consumption, lack of repair options, short life cycles of electronics, and inefficient e-waste management infrastructure.
Baldi noted that even items designed to reduce energy consumption, such as solar panels, contribute to the increase in electronic waste. It is estimated that about 600,000 metric tons of photovoltaic panels will be disposed of in 2022, Baldi said.
“Manufacturers have responsibilities to set uniform standards and ensure that consumers are not deprived of their rights, so the product they manufacture should not have a short life cycle,” said Cosmas Lakissen Zavazava, Director of the Telecommunication Development Bureau at the United Nations International Telecommunication Union.
He added, “I believe that the private sector must paint an image for itself as a good citizen.”
