Challenges in Mexico's Electronic Waste Recycling Goals

The electronic waste recycling goal proposed in Plan México is not feasible due to a lack of infrastructure, legislation, and sustainable consumption habits in the country, pointed out the Mexican Association of Electronic Waste Recyclers (AMRRE).

Plan México, presented by President Claudia Sheinbaum at the beginning of 2025, includes a 100% recycling or refurbishment goal for household appliances and consumer electronics, as well as reducing single-use plastic packaging by 20%, replacing it with recyclable or compostable materials. These goals are outlined in the Consumer Goods section of the first official draft of the document. However, a defined strategy to meet these objectives has not yet been established.

Katia Cid Bouchán, Technical Secretary, AMRRE, pointed out that Mexico is lagging in terms of electronic waste circularity strategies. She emphasized that this is mainly because there is no effective legal framework in the country to manage these residues. Moreover, Bouchan highlighted that the population has not developed responsible consumption practices when purchasing such goods.

According to the Global E-Waste Monitor 2024 developed by the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), Mexico generates around 1.5Mt/year of electronic waste, of which 52,600t are recycled, which is only 3.5% of the total. Furthermore, the country is considered an overproducer of electronic waste with 11.8kg per capita against the 7.8kg global average.

Bouchán highlighted that legislation for the proper management of electronic waste has been postponed since 2022, as during the administration of former president Andrés Manuel López Obrador, modifications to the General Law for the Prevention and Integral Management of Waste were halted. "Modifications got stuck in the Senate and there is no date for their discussion. It is urgent that the current legislature regulates the management and use of electronic waste in the country," demanded the secretary.

The specialist stressed that it is crucial for the updated law to be approved before the end of this year if President Sheinbaum wants to achieve progress in electronic waste management. Currently, the General Law for the Prevention and Integral Management of Waste classifies electronic waste as needing "special handling," which is under state jurisdiction, meaning each state is responsible for its final disposal in an appropriate manner. In this regard, Bouchán emphasized that no state has a recycling plant for electronic materials, relegating this task to the private sector. 

At the municipal level, there are some efforts to collect electronic waste for recycling, such as the Reciclatron, organized by Mexico City’s Ministry of Environment (SEDEMA). In the first edition of the year, 71t of electronic waste was collected as part of a collective effort involving 5,000 people and 93 companies and institutions.

Bouchán warned that by 2030, this problem could worsen and pointed out that it is expected that by that year, 86Mt of electronic waste will be produced worldwide. However, she expressed confidence that the country's authorities will take the necessary measures and even stated that if half of what is promised in Plan México regarding electronic waste is achieved, it would be a significant step forward.

Globally, 62Mt of e-waste was generated in 2022, and only 22.3% was documented as properly collected and recycled. In 2010, the world generated 34Mt of e-waste, which means that the amount has increased annually by an average of 2.3Mt per year. The documented formal collection and recycling rate has also risen, growing from 8Mt in 2010 at an average rate of 500,000t per year. Overall, this reflects that the rise in e-waste generation is outpacing the rise in formal recycling by a factor of almost 5.

The Top 5 e-waste generators are China with 12.06Mt, the United States with 7.1Mt, India with 4.1Mt, Japan with 2.6Mt, and Brazil with 2.4Mt. Meanwhile, Mexico ranks 10th according to data by the E-Waste Monitor.