From old cellphones to broken refrigerators and discarded e-cigarettes, global electronic waste has reached record highs and is growing five times faster than rates of recycling – bringing a host of health, environmental and climate problems, according to new analysis.
The numbers are staggering. In 2022, the world generated 62 million metric tons of electronic waste, also known as “e-waste,” according to the United Nations Global E-waste Monitor released Wednesday.
To put that in perspective, this waste could fill more than 1.5 million 40-metric-ton trucks which, if placed bumper-to-bumper, could form a line long enough to wrap around the equator.
E-waste is the umbrella term for any discarded product that has a plug or a battery and often contains toxic and dangerous substances, such as mercury and lead.
As the world becomes ever more reliant on electronics — and increasing amounts are being sold in developing countries for the first time — this hazardous waste stream is booming.
Global e-waste in 2022 was up 82% compared to 2010, according to the report, and is on track to rise a further 32% to reach 82 million metric tons in 2030.
