UN’s International Telecommunications Union and research arm UNITAR in its fourth Global E-waste Monitor (GEM) report said that some 62 million tons of “e-waste” was generated in 2022. It’s on track to reach 82 million tons by 2030.
Key points
- Metals – including copper, gold and iron – made up half of the 62 million tons, worth a total of some 91 billion dollars.
- Plastics accounted for 17 million tons and the remaining 14 million tons include substances like composite materials and glass.
- Worldwide, the annual generation of e-waste is rising by 2.6 million tonnes annually, on track to reach 82 million tonnes by 2030, a further 33% increase from the 2022 figure.
- The UN’s says less than one quarter (22.3%) of the year’s e-waste mass was documented as having been properly collected and recycled in 2022, leaving US $62 billion worth of recoverable natural resources unaccounted for and increasing pollution risks to communities worldwide.
- About half of all e-waste is generated in Asia, where few countries have laws on e-waste or collection targets.
- Recycling and collection rates top 40 percent in Europe, where per-capita waste generation is highest: nearly 18 kilograms.
