The amount of e-waste the world generates has increased to 44.7 million metric tonnes as of 2016. Cameras, microwaves, washing machines, refrigerators, and other similar electronics are among the numerous products that aren’t properly recycled.
In Need of E-Recycling
The world is making progress on addressing the environmental problems that are聽plastic waste and聽plastic pollution, but there鈥檚 always more we can do to protect our environment. One area that desperately needs attention is how we deal with e-waste: discarded electronics, appliances and other products that have batteries or plugs.聽According to聽the new聽Global E-waste Monitor 2017 report from the United Nations University (UNU),聽e-waste increased significantly from 2014 to 2016.
An overwhelming 44.7 million metric tonnes (Mt) of e-waste was generated in 2016 鈥� 8 percent higher than the 41.4 million Mt produced in 2014.
This waste includes TVs, smartphones, solar panels, refrigerators, and many other devices. Their number is expected to rise by another 17% by 2021, where it will amount to nearly to 52.2 million metric tonnes of e-waste.
What鈥檚 more, only 20 percent of the world鈥檚 e-waste was accounted for in 2016, meaning only a relatively small portion was collected and recycled.聽The report finds that 4聽percent of e-waste was thrown into landfills, while the remaining 76 percent was likely incinerated, recycled by third-party organizations, or stored in people鈥檚 homes.
鈥淭he world鈥檚 e-waste problem continues to grow,鈥� said聽Jakob Rhyner, Director of the UNU Institute for Environment and Human Security, in a press release on the report. 鈥淚mproved measurement of e-waste is essential to set and monitor targets, and identify policies. National data should be internationally comparable, frequently updated, published, and interpreted.鈥�
In a press release,聽the United Nations University compared the weight of 2016鈥檚 e-waste to 鈥渘ine Great Pyramids of Giza, 4,500 Eiffel Towers, or 1.23 million fully loaded 18-wheel 40-ton trucks, enough to form a line from New York to Bangkok and back.鈥�
E-Waste Generators Around The World
The ways in which smartphones and TV are produced and released has increased the frequency with which people are upgrading the electronics. Affordability has also had an impact. If your old TV, vacuum, or phone isn鈥檛 going to a friend or family member, chances are its getting thrown away.
The E-waste report suspects small equipment (vacuum cleaners, electric shavers, cameras), large equipment (washing machines, clothes dryers) and 鈥淭emperature exchange equipment鈥� (refrigerators, freezers, A/C units) will see the fastest growth in e-waste generation. These three categories are already responsible for 75 percent of global e-waste. Phones, TVs, PC monitors, printers and various lamps are expected to grow at a slower rate.
Per capita, Australia, New Zealand, and the nations of Oceania contribute the most to the world鈥檚 e-waste, at 17.3 kilograms per inhabitant. Europe is the second largest generator of e-waste at an average of 16.6 kg per inhabitant, with North America and South America following behind at 11.6 kg per inhabitant.
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