What is E-Waste?
E-waste, otherwise known as electronic waste, e-scrap, or end-of-life electronics, are used electronics nearing the end of their useful life and are subsequently discarded, donated, or recycled. The UN defines e-waste “as any discarded product with a battery or plug, and features toxic and hazardous substances such as mercury, that can pose a severe risk to human and environmental health” (Source). Some examples are computers, monitors, televisions, cell phones, radios, and washing machines.
E-waste is toxic and non-biodegradable, meaning it accumulates in the soil, air, water, and living things. E-waste also contains scarce and valuable raw materials, such as rare earth minerals high in demand for technological production. E-waste is the world’s fastest-growing waste stream, driven by growing consumption and stagnant e-waste processing infrastructure. United Nations data indicates that from 2010 to 2019, the amount of e-waste generated globally increased from 5.3 to 7.3 kg per capita annually (Source). Massive amounts of e-waste are exported to developing countries without effective regulations of e-waste disposal, leading it to be disposed of in ways that pollute the environment, result in the loss of resources, and negatively affect the health of local communities.
Recycling e-waste is a great way to reduce the environmental impact of these materials and positively impact your community. The 2019 joint report “A New Circular Vision for Electronics – Time for a Global Reboot” introduced a new vision for e-waste based on the circular economy concept, whereby a regenerative system would minimize waste and energy leakage. For more information about e-waste data and the circular economy concept, visit the Data page.
E-Waste Recycling
TechWaste Recycling Inc. is an R2-certified electronic recycling company that provides secure, sustainable, and responsible recycling of electronic items, hard drive data destruction, product destruction, and IT assets disposition. TechWaste Recycling actively promotes environmental sustainability and effective reuse methods to decrease the amount of electronic waste thrown into landfills. This blog post was created to participate in the 2023 TechWaste Recycling Scholarship program. The TechWaste Recycling Scholarship is a program run by TechWaste Recycling Inc. for college and high school students which aims to increase awareness about electronics recycling and provides a one-time financial award of 1,000 to three students. For more information about TechWaste and this scholarship program, click the links below.
Information obtained from the TechWaste webpages linked below
The sixth annual International E-Waste Day will be held on 14th October, 2023
International E-Waste Day, first established in 2018 by the WEEE Forum, aims to raise public awareness of waste electrical and electronic equipment recycling and encourage consumers to recycle. The WEEE Forum is the largest multinational center of competence regarding operational know-how concerning the management of Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment, or WEEE. The WEEE Forum is a non-profit international association representing fifty producer responsibility organizations across the globe (WEEE Forum Website).
According to the Global E-Waste Monitor 2020, 53.6 million tons of e-waste was generated worldwide in 2019, and only 9.3 million tons (17%) was recorded as being collected and properly recycled. Unfortunately, these rates have continued over the past few years. The United Nations estimated that in 2021, each person will produce an average of 7.6 kg of e-waste, totaling 57.4 million tons worldwide. Of this e-waste, only 17.4% will be recorded as being properly collected, treated, and recycled (Source). Many initiatives have attempted to tackle this growing concern, but none can be fully effective without the active role and correct education of consumers.
For more information on e-waste and how it impacts the world we live in, visit WEEE Forum IEWD and Geneva Environment Network.
E-Waste Recycling 