Podcast | Electronic waste threatens the environment and health, UN alerts

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The equivalent of over 6,000 Eiffel Towers of electronic waste worldwide

The proliferation of electronic waste is an ecological disaster. The latest United Nations report estimates that 62 million tonnes of e-waste will be generated worldwide by 2022 - the equivalent of more than 6,000 Eiffel Towers. This alarming figure is growing five times faster than the recycling rate, highlighting a serious sustainability crisis.

E-waste encompasses a wide range of discarded electronic products, from small items such as electronic cigarettes and tablets, to larger devices such as TV screens, electric bicycles, servers and storage arrays.

An unprecedented situation with huge consequences

A statement by Dr Cosmas Zavazava, Director of the Telecommunication Development Bureau of the ITU (International Telecommunication Union), underlines the seriousness of this situation, highlighting the growing challenge posed by electronic waste on a global scale. The risks to the environment and health are considerable, given that electronic waste contains toxic additives and hazardous substances, notably mercury. It is one of the most hazardous types of waste that two European directives, RoHS and WEEE, have been trying to contain and drastically reduce since 2002.

It is interesting to note that metals such as copper, gold and iron make up half of the 62 million tonnes of electronic waste, worth an estimated $91 billion. This highlights not only the environmental challenge, but also the economic opportunity lost as a result of insufficient recycling of this waste. To this e-waste must be added the associated plastic waste, which accounts for 17 million tonnes. The remainder is made up of composites and glass, underlining the diversity of the material composition of e-waste.

UN report highlights glaring disparities

The UN report highlights the glaring disparities in the production and recycling of e-waste around the world. For example, a European produces around seven times more electronic waste than an African. However, only 22% of all e-waste was properly collected and recycled in 2022, a figure that is set to fall to 20% by the end of the decade due to the widening gap between recycling efforts and the increase in the production of this waste. AdVaes has raised this issue in an analysis note (French) dedicated in particular to the challenges to be met in this area by all players in the digital sector.

Developing countries, particularly in Africa, are the hardest hit by these problems, with recycling and collection rates as low as 1%. The lack of infrastructure and formal recycling facilities often leaves workers in informal environments, exposing them to hazardous conditions without adequate protection.

Few countries with recycling laws and targets

While almost half of the world's e-waste is produced in Asia, few countries have established laws or targets for e-waste recycling. Europe stands out with recycling and collection rates as high as 40%, reflecting a more structured approach to e-waste management. However, as Kees Baldé, a scientist at UNITAR (United Nations Institute for Training and Research) and lead contributor to the UN report, points out, e-waste recycling meets less than 1% of the demand for essential rare earth elements, which is a serious gap in the fight against the e-waste crisis.

Access the UN report ‘The Global E-waste Monitor 2024’.

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