A new Global E-waste monitor report for 2019 has been released

The Global E-Waste Statistics Partnership (GESP), made up of the United Nations University (UNU), the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the International Solid Waste Association (ISWA), has issued in cooperation with the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) a Global E-Waste Monitor report (http://ewastemonitor.info). It warns that the way we produce, consume and dispose of EEE is not sustainable. In 2019, we generated 53.6 Mt of WEEE (7.3 kg / capita), of which only 17.4% was formally collected and recycled. This indicates that recycling is not keeping pace with the growing amount of e-waste.

Asia (25 Mt) leads in the amount of WEEE produced, followed by the Americas (13 Mt), Europe (12 Mt), Africa (3 Mt) and Oceania (1 Mt). Global volume will rise to 75 Mt by 2030 (estimate).

In terms of the amount of WEEE produced per capita, Europe and Oceania are in the lead at 16 kg per capita, followed by the Americas - 13 kg and Asia - 5.6 kg and Africa - 2.5 kg.

The share of recycled materials is spearheaded by Europe (42%), followed by Asia (12%), the Americas and Oceania (around 9%) and Africa with just under 1% of collected and recycled WEEE. The fate of 83% or over 44 Mt of e-waste is unknown. GESP estimates that up to 20% of e-waste is exported under the pretext of reuse or scrap metal, and 8% is disposed of in developed countries (collected as MSW).