The world's generation of electronic waste is rising five times faster than documented e-waste recycling, the UN's fourth Global E-waste Monitor (GEM) revealed.

The 62 million tonnes of e-waste generated in 2022 would fill 1.55 million 40-tonne trucks, roughly enough trucks to form a bumper-to-bumper line encircling the equator, according to the report from the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR).

Meanwhile, less than one quarter (22.3 percent) of the year's e-waste mass was documented as having been properly collected and recycled in 2022, leaving US$62 billion worth of recoverable natural resources unaccounted for and increasing pollution risks to communities worldwide.

Worldwide, the annual generation of e-waste is rising by 2.6 million tonnes annually, on track to reach 82 million tonnes by 2030, a further 33 percent increase from the 2022 figure.

E-waste, any discarded product with a plug or battery, is a health and environmental hazard, containing toxic additives or hazardous substances such as mercury, which can damage the human brain and coordination system.

The report foresees a drop in the documented collection and recycling rate from 22.3 percent in 2022 to 20 percent by 2030 due to the widening difference in recycling efforts relative to the staggering growth of e-waste generation worldwide.

Challenges contributing to the widening gap include technological progress, higher consumption, limited repair options, shorter product life cycles, society's growing electronification, design shortcomings, and inadequate e-waste management infrastructure.

The report underlines that if countries could bring the e-waste collection and recycling rates to 60 percent by 2030, the benefits - including through minimising human health risks - would exceed costs by more than $38 billion.

It also notes that the world “remains stunningly dependent" on a few countries for rare earth elements, despite their unique properties crucial for future technologies, including renewable energy generation and e-mobility.

"Amidst the hopeful embrace of solar panels and electronic equipment to combat the climate crisis and drive digital progress, the surge in e-waste requires urgent attention," said ​Nikhil Seth, Executive Director, UNITAR.

“From discarded televisions to dumped telephones, an enormous amount of e-waste is generated around the world. The latest research shows that the global challenge posed by e-waste is only going to grow. With less than half of the world implementing and enforcing approaches to manage the problem, this raises the alarm for sound regulations to boost collection and recycling. The Global E-waste Monitor is the world's foremost source for e-waste data allowing us to track progress over time and to make critical decisions when it comes to transitioning to a circular economy for electronics," Cosmas Luckyson Zavazava, Director, ITU Telecommunication Development Bureau, added.

According to Kees Baldé, lead author, UNITAR, “No more than 1 percent of demand for essential rare earth elements is met by e-waste recycling. Simply put: Business as usual can't continue. This new report represents an immediate call for greater investment in infrastructure development, more promotion of repair and reuse, capacity building, and measures to stop illegal e-waste shipments. And the investment would pay for itself in spades."

“Many in today's society use multiple computers and phones, an ever-growing number of new appliances, monitors and sensors, e-bikes, e-scooters, clothes, toys, and furniture with embedded electronics, electric tools, and energy-saving equipment such as LEDs, photovoltaics, and heat pumps. Urban and remote areas are increasingly connected to the Internet, and a growing number of data centres cater to the needs of digital transformation. In the face of all this, concrete steps are urgently needed to address and reduce e-waste. Improved e-waste management could result in a global net positive of $38 billion, representing a significant economic opportunity while addressing climate change and health impacts," said Ruediger Kuehr, Senior Manager, Sustainable Cycles (SCYCLE) Programme, UNITAR / Adjunct Professor, University of Limerick (Ireland).

“The Global E-waste Monitor shows that we are currently wasting $91 billion in valuable metals due to insufficient e-waste recycling. We must seize the economic and environmental benefits of proper e-waste management; otherwise, the digital ambitions of our future generations will face significant risks, commented Vanessa Gray, Head, Environment & Emergency Telecommunications Division, ITU Telecommunication Development Bureau.

By the numbers:

62 million tonnes: E-waste generated in 2022, equal to the weight of 107,000 of the world's largest (853-seat), heaviest (575 tonnes) passenger aircraft – enough to form an unbroken queue from New York to Athens, from Nairobi to Hanoi, or from Hong Kong to Anchorage

$91 billion: The value of metals embedded in 2022 e-waste, including $19 billion in copper, $15 billion in gold, and $16 billion in iron.

$28 billion: Value of secondary raw materials (mostly iron) reclaimed by “urban mining" of e-waste in 2022

900 million tonnes: Primary ore extraction avoided by reclaiming materials through documented e-waste recycling

93 million tonnes: CO2-equivalent emissions avoided by formal e-waste management – recaptured refrigerants (41 million tonnes), avoided metals mining (52 million tonnes)

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