UN Urges Immediate Action on E-Waste Management

The global production of electronic waste is growing five times faster than its recycling, as reported by the UN in the fourth edition of the Global E-waste Monitor. The organization emphasized that urgent action is imperative, along with cooperation from both governments and the private sector. 

In 2022, electronic waste reached a record 62Mt, an 82% increase from 2010. Only 22.3% of this annual waste was collected and recycled according to international protocols. Consequently, recoverable natural resources worth US$62 billion were lost, increasing pollution risks for communities worldwide. "The amount of waste produced in 2022 would fill 1.6 million 40t trucks, enough to encircle the equator in a continuous line." the report stated.

The most common electronic waste generated includes not only computers and phones but also a growing list of items such as household appliances, e-bikes, e-scooters, health monitors, environmental sensors, electronics embedded in furniture and clothing, toys, tools, and energy-saving equipment like LEDs, photovoltaics, and heat pumps.

Due to the high diversity of waste included in this category, the dismantling and recycling process of each component, composed of different materials, becomes challenging. E-waste generated in 2022 contained 31 billion kg of metals, 17 billion kg of plastics, and 14 billion kg of other materials (minerals, glass, composite materials, etc.). However, only 13.8 billion kg were documented as formally collected and recycled in an environmentally sound manner. 

According to the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), most e-waste is managed outside formal collection and recycling schemes, resulting in the release of 58,000kg of mercury and 45 million kg of plastics containing brominated flame retardants into the environment annually. The report emphasizes that each discarded product with a plug or battery poses a health and environmental hazard, as they contain toxic additives or hazardous substances that can harm the human brain and coordination system.

Due to the growing disparity between recycling efforts and the significant growth in the generation of electronic waste worldwide, the UN predicts a drop in the documented recycling rate from 22.3% in 2022 to 20% by 2030. Technological progress, increased consumption, limited options for repairing electronic devices, shorter product life cycles, the growing electrification of society, design deficiencies, and inadequate management of electronic waste infrastructure all contribute to this worsening recycling rate, the report highlighted. 

Worldwide, annual electronic waste generation increases by 2.6Mt, potentially reaching 82Mt by 2030, representing a further 33% increase over current figures. Efforts to achieve universal connectivity and shift from fossil fuels to cleaner energy production will ultimately generate more e-waste. For instance, e-waste from photovoltaic panels is expected to quadruple from 0.6 billion kg in 2022 to 2.4 billion kg in 2030. Thus, managing this kind of waste becomes crucial for the adoption of clean and renewable energy sources.

The report asserts that if countries could increase electronic waste collection and recycling rates to 60% by 2030, the benefits, including minimizing risks to human health, would outweigh the costs by more than US$38 billion. UNITAR emphasized that significant cooperation between formal and informal sectors is required to improve this situation. This involves developing e-waste legislation in all countries, investing in recycling infrastructure, and establishing effective collection schemes.

In Mexico, 1,500t of electronic waste were generated in 2022, accounting for approximately 11.8kg of electronic waste per capita. As for the national recycling rate, it is estimated to be near 3.5%. In early 2023, Mexico City approved the Circular Economy Law, setting a precedent at the national level. Among the main objectives of the law are promoting responsible consumption habits, fostering efficient business models by incentivizing sustainable production through redesign, reduction, reuse, repair, restoration, recycling, recovery, and facilitating productive linkage between companies of all sizes.