Electronic waste
Electronic waste describes discarded electrical or electronic devices. It is also commonly known as waste electrical and electronic equipment or end-of-life 'electronics'. Used electronics which are destined for refurbishment, reuse, resale, salvage recycling through material recovery, or disposal are also considered e-waste. Informal processing of e-waste in developing countries can lead to adverse human health effects and environmental pollution. The growing consumption of electronic goods due to the Digital Revolution and innovations in science and technology, such as bitcoin, has led to a global e-waste problem and hazard. The rapid exponential increase of e-waste is due to frequent new model releases and unnecessary purchases of electrical and electronic equipment, short innovation cycles and low recycling rates, and a drop in the average life span of computers.
Electronic scrap components, such as CPUs, contain potentially harmful materials such as lead, cadmium, beryllium, or brominated flame retardants. Recycling and disposal of e-waste may involve significant risk to the health of workers and their communities.
Definition
When an electronic product is thrown away after its useful life is over, it produces electronic trash, or e-waste. When new electronic product models appear, older ones become obsolete and are often discarded. E-waste is produced in vast quantities as a result of the consumption-driven society and the quick development of technology.In the US, the United States Environmental Protection Agency classifies e-waste into ten categories:
- Large household appliances, including cooling and freezing appliances
- Small household appliances
- IT equipment, including monitors
- Consumer electronics, including televisions
- Lamps and luminaires
- Toys
- Tools
- Medical devices
- Monitoring and control instruments
- Automatic dispensers
Using a different set of categories, the Partnership on Measuring ICT for Development defines e-waste in six categories:
- Temperature exchange equipment
- Screens, monitors
- Lamps
- Large equipment
- Small equipment
- Small IT and telecommunication equipment
CRTs have a relatively high concentration of lead and phosphors, both of which are necessary for the display. The United States Environmental Protection Agency includes discarded CRT monitors in its category of "hazardous household waste" but considers CRTs that have been set aside for testing to be commodities if they are recycled or exported for recycling, under certain conditions. These CRT devices are often confused between the DLP Rear Projection TV, both of which have a different recycling process due to the materials of which they are composed.
The EU and its member states operate a system via the European Waste Catalogue – a European Council Directive, which is interpreted into "member state law". In the UK, this is in the form of the List of Wastes Directive. However, the list gives a broad definition of what is hazardous electronic waste, requiring "waste operators" to employ the Hazardous Waste Regulations for refined definition. Constituent materials in the waste also require assessment via the combination of Annex II and Annex III, again allowing operators to further determine whether waste is hazardous.
Some exporters are accused of leaving difficult-to-recycle, obsolete, or non-repairable equipment mixed in loads of working equipment. Protectionists may broaden the definition of "waste" electronics in order to protect domestic markets from working secondary equipment.
The high value of the computer recycling subset of electronic waste can help pay the cost of transportation for a larger number of worthless pieces than what can be achieved with display devices, which have less scrap value. A 2011 report, "Ghana E-waste Country Assessment", found that of 215,000 tons of electronics imported to Ghana, 30% was brand new and 70% was used. Of the used product, the study concluded that 15% was not reused and was scrapped or discarded. This contrasts with published but uncredited claims that 80% of the imports into Ghana were being burned in primitive conditions.
Bitcoin has been found to produce large amounts of e-waste, adding up to 30.7 metric kilotons as of May, 2021. This amount of e-waste is similar to that of a small country such as Denmark. This has brought up controversies regarding the sustainability of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies.
Quantity
E-waste is considered the "fastest-growing waste stream in the world". A study in 2024 highlights that nearly 62 million tons are generated globally every year with only 22.3% formally documented as being collected and recycled, with the rest often processed informally in developing countries, posing serious health and environmental risks. An estimated $62 Billion USD of key raw materials are lost annually, due to inadequate recycling efforts.Rapid changes in technology, constant innovation, changes in media, falling prices, and planned obsolescence have resulted in a fast-growing surplus of electronic waste around the globe. Truly circular technical solutions are very limited, but in most cases, a legal framework, a collection, logistics, and other services need to be implemented before a technical solution can be applied.
Display units, processors, memory, and audio components have different useful lives. Processors are most frequently out-dated and are more likely to become "e-waste" while display units are most often replaced while working without repair attempts, due to changes in wealthy nation appetites for new display technology. This problem could potentially be solved with modular smartphones. These types of phones are more durable and have the technology to change certain parts of the phone making them more environmentally friendly. Being able to simply replace the part of the phone that is broken will reduce e-waste.
An estimated 50 million tons of e-waste are produced each year. The USA discards 30 million computers each year and 100 million phones are disposed of in Europe each year. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that only 15–20% of e-waste is recycled, the rest of these electronics go directly into landfills and incinerators.
According to a report by UNEP titled, "Recycling – from e-waste to Resources," the amount of e-waste being produced – including mobile phones and computers – could rise by as much as 500 percent over the next decade in some countries, such as India. The United States is the world leader in producing electronic waste, tossing away about 3 million tons each year. China already produces about 10.1 million tons domestically, second only to the United States. And, despite having banned e-waste imports, China remains a major e-waste dumping ground for developed countries.
A 2023 study discovered improper electronic waste disposal and recycling significantly contributes to greenhouse gas emissions, connecting electronic waste to recent global environmental problems. Electronic waste contains hazardous but also valuable and scarce materials. Up to 60 elements can be found in complex electronics. Concentration of metals within the electronic waste is generally higher than a typical ore, such as copper, aluminium, iron, gold, silver, and palladium. As of 2013, Apple has sold over 796 million iDevices. Many cell phone companies make cell phones that are not made to last so that the consumer will purchase new phones. Companies give these products such short lifespans because they know that the consumer will want a new product and will buy it if they make it. In the United States, an estimated 70% of heavy metals in landfills comes from discarded electronics.
While there is agreement that the number of discarded electronic devices is increasing, there is considerable disagreement about the relative risk, and strong disagreement whether curtailing trade in used electronics will improve conditions, or make them worse. According to an article in Motherboard, attempts to restrict the trade have driven reputable companies out of the supply chain, with unintended consequences.