UN warns of surging e-waste

Geneva, December 13 

The UN today warned that waste from discarded electronics such as mobile phones, laptops and refrigerators is piling up worldwide, and it urged far better recycling of the often hazardous rubbish.

A full 44.7 million tonnes of so-called e-waste was generated around the world in 2016, up 8 per cent from two years earlier, according to a report from the UN's International Telecommunication Union, the UN University (UNU) and the International Solid Waste Association.

That’s the equivalent of 4,500 Eiffel Towers, the report noted, adding that the number was expected to swell “significantly” over coming decades. By 2021, the world will likely be cluttered with a full 52.2 million tonnes of such waste, which today consists mainly of fridges, washing machines and other domestic appliances, but also increasingly mobile phones and computers.

At the same time, this waste, which can pose serious risks to human health and the environment, is rarely recycled or properly discarded, with most of it ending up at dumpsites or in incinerators, according to the report. “E-waste management is an urgent issue in today’s digitally dependent world, where use of electronic devices is ever increasing,” ITU chief Houlin Zhao said in a statement.

There is also an economic argument for more recycling: the total value of all raw materials present in e-waste, including gold, is estimated to be worth around $64.6 billion — more than most countries’ national economies, the report said.

On a positive note, a growing number of countries are adopting e-waste management policies. Today, 66 per cent of the global population, living in 67 countries, is covered by such policies, up from just 44 per cent in 2014, the report found. — AFP