Electronic waste has become one of those issues that, although seemingly distant, affects us all directly. We are talking about any device with a plug or battery that we throw away.at mobiles and their composition From refrigerators to tablets, electronic toys, and solar panels, it's the fastest-growing waste stream on the planet, and what's worse, recycling isn't even close to keeping pace.
To give you an idea of ​​the magnitude: in 2022, the world generated 62 million tons of electronic waste. That mountain would fit about 1,55 million 40-ton trucks.Enough to encircle the equator in a continuous line. However, only 22,3% of this mass was collected and recycled in a documented and environmentally sound manner. The remainder was dispersed through informal channels, uncontrolled flows, or directly into landfills, with serious impacts on public health and the environment.
What do we mean by e-waste and why is it a concern?
When we talk about WEEE (waste electrical and electronic equipment) we refer to what we throw away Televisions, mobile phones, computers, household appliances, lamps or air conditioning equipmentThe problem isn't just their growing volume: many contain toxic additives or hazardous substances like mercury, which can damage the human brain and neuromotor system, as well as contaminate air, water, and soil if not managed properly.
This challenge is compounded by several relentless dynamics: dizzying technological advances, rising consumption, limited repair options (learn how to make your phone last longer), increasingly shorter life cycles, and a widespread "electronification" of society. Add to this poorly thought-out designs for disassembly and reuse, and insufficient management infrastructure in too many countries, and the cocktail is ready.
How much e-waste is generated and how much is actually recycled?
The Global E-Waste Monitor 2024 (GEM) reveals that 62 Mt of WEEE were generated in 2022, an average of 7,8 kg per person. Of that figure, only 13,8 million tons were formally collected and recycled.Another 16 million tons were managed outside formal systems in countries with developed infrastructure, 18 million tons were treated in the informal sector in low- and lower-middle-income countries, and 14 million tons ended up as residual waste, largely in landfills.
The trend is worrying: global WEEE generation is increasing by around 2,6 million tons per year. If we continue like this, we will reach 82 million tons in 2030., which represents an additional 33% jump compared to 2022. And be careful, the documented formal collection and recycling rate could fall from 22,3% in 2022 to 20% in 2030, not because less is being recycled, but because the growth in e-waste far outpaces progress in management.
How did we get here: recent developments and historical data?
Looking back, in 2010, some 34 million tons of WEEE were generated. Since then, the average annual increase has been around 2,3 million tonnes., accelerated by consumption, obsolescence, and reduced repairability. In 2018, an estimated 48,5 Mt of e-scrap was generated; in 2019, 53,6 Mt, and only 17,4% was officially recycled. Some images help explain: that 2018 volume was equivalent to the weight of all the airplanes ever built or thousands of Eiffel Towers; it was even compared to the weight of "nine Pyramids of Giza" as a visual reference.
In regions such as the United States and Canada, each person generates around 20 kg of e-waste per year; in Europe, it's 17,6 kg per capita; while in Africa, the figure drops to 1,9–2,5 kg per person, although with serious recycling difficulties. For context, in 2016, 435.000 tons of mobile phones valued at around $9.500 billion were discarded; what to do with old phones, and an average smartphone integrates up to 60 elements, many of them valuable metals.
WEEE categories and their management
The type of device largely determines its destination. In 2022, small devices (cameras, toys, microwaves, vacuum cleaners, and e-cigarettes) accounted for 20 million tons, almost a third of the total. But only 12% of this category is formally collected and recycled., due to their size, dispersion, and difficulty separating them. This is no small issue: in 2022, more than 844 million e-cigarettes were sold, with an average weight of 50 g; that's more than 42 million kg to manage.
The second major category is large equipment (excluding photovoltaic panels), with around 15 million tonnes in 2022. Screens and monitors account for about 10% of the generation (approximately 5.900 billion kg), while IT and telecommunications equipment (mobile phones, routers, computers, printers, telephones) contributed approximately 5.000 billion kg. Generally, bulky equipment or equipment containing refrigerants has higher collection rates due to its value and traceability.
Photovoltaic panels deserve special mention: in 2022 they generated around 600 million kg of waste and They are expected to reach 2.400 billion kg by 2030.End-of-life planning is essential if we want the ecological and digital transitions to go hand in hand without generating additional environmental problems.
What materials do they contain and how much are they worth?
The WEEE in 2022 contained a significant mix of resources: 31 million tonnes of metals, 17 million tonnes of plastics, and 14 million tonnes of other materials (glass, minerals, composites, etc.). About 19 million tons were recovered as secondary resources., with iron and other base metals predominating. In the case of precious metals and platinum group metals, the quantities are smaller: an estimated 300.000 kg were recovered between formal and informal flows.
To put it simply, a 100 gram mobile phone can be broken down, with current technologies, into 62 g of plastics, 25 g of metals (mostly aluminum and copper) and traces of precious metals (0,0008 g), according to industry data. This level of recovery multiplies the potential for circularity if we improve collection and processing at source.
The economic and environmental balance: lost value and hidden costs
The economic value of the metals present in electronic waste generated in 2022 is estimated at $91.000 billion (how much does it cost to make a mobile phone). However, the amount recovered amounted to about 28.000 billion euros.Among the most valuable secondary raw materials are copper (19.000 billion), gold (15.000 billion), and iron (16.000 billion). Improved collection would boost recovery and make the supply chain more robust.
The complete picture includes unaccounted impacts: inadequate management releases about 100,000 to the environment each year. 58.000 kg of mercury and 45 million kg of plastics with brominated flame retardants, hazardous substances with direct effects on public health. If we monetize the externalized costs of toxicity and global warming, the figure rises to $78.000 billion in 2022, to which must be added approximately $10.000 billion in direct treatment costs, largely borne by producers under extended responsibility regimes.
On the positive side, in 2022 it was estimated $23.000 billion in benefits from avoided emissions of greenhouse gases and another 28.000 billion for the value of recovered metals. Even so, the overall annual net economic balance was negative (–37.000 billion). The current recovery of secondary raw materials avoids the extraction of around 900.000 billion kg of ore and prevents the emission of 93.000 billion kg of CO2 equivalent (41.000 billion from refrigerants and 52.000 billion from metal recycling compared to primary mining).
Where it is generated and how it is recycled: differences by region
Europe leads in per capita generation with 17,6 kg per person and also in Formal documented collection and recycling: 42,8%However, many Member States are progressing slowly toward their own binding targets. Oceania records 16,1 kg per capita and a rate of 41,4%, while the Americas reach 14,1 kg per capita and a rate of 30%.
Asia generates almost half of the world's WEEE (about 30 million tons), but its documented formal rate is around 11,8%. Africa, despite generating the smallest quantities (about 2,5 kg per capita), has the lowest formal rate: around 0,7%. In Spain, although not among the five European countries with the most waste, generation exceeds the European average, at around 20 kg per person per year.
Laws, objectives and where enforcement falls short
As of June 2023, 81 countries (42% of nations and 72% of the world's population) had passed some form of WEEE policy, law, or regulation. Of these, 67 are part of the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), key to financing and organizing collection and treatment. However, the pace of regulatory adoption has slowed, and effective implementation remains uneven.
Part of the global stagnation in collection and recycling rates is explained by the lack of clear goals. Only 46 countries have set collection targets and just 36 specific recycling targets. Having measurable goals drives investment, infrastructure, and more robust documentation—three essential elements to closing the gap.
What is the European Union doing against the electronic waste?
The EU has made its move with the Circular Economy Action Plan, prioritizing the reduction of WEEE and its reuse, repair and recyclingRecent measures include a common USB-C charger for most devices by the end of 2024 (and laptops by April 28, 2026), as well as a March 2023 proposal to encourage repairs by requiring products to be fixed under warranty when it's not more expensive than replacing them.
The WEEE Directive is also being updated to incorporate a ruling by the EU Court of Justice on obligations for photovoltaic panel producers. The European Parliament calls for extending the lifespan of products and, by 2030, binding targets for reducing the material footprint. The Council and Parliament have a provisional agreement to review the directive in 2026 and, if appropriate, propose changes with a social and environmental impact assessment.
Cross-border movements: what is declared and what is leaked
In 2022, approximately 5.100 billion kg of electronic waste crossed borders. It is estimated that 3.300 billion kg (65%) traveled from high-income countries to middle- and low-income countries through uncontrolled and undocumented movements. The line between "used equipment" and "waste" is blurred: commercial codes do not clearly differentiate between new and used, which facilitates misclassification and misclassification.
Europe and East Asia account for the majority of controlled flows, but problematic routes persist. In January 2023, a scheme that sought to send more than 5 million kg (331 containers) from the Canary Islands to Ghana, Mauritania, Nigeria, and Senegal was dismantled. In 2020, a network that moved 2.500 billion kg was intercepted. to several African countries, with 750.000 kg of falsely certified WEEE. Three key African ports (Durban, Bizerte, and Lagos) are identified as major entry points for used equipment.
Technological innovation and the missing link
Investment in treatment technologies is on the rise. In 2022, patent applications related to WEEE recycling climbed to 787 per million total applications, up from 148 per million in 2010. Most are focused on cable recycling, although gaps remain in the recovery of critical raw materials.
The major stumbling block remains the recycling of rare earths. Despite their importance for renewable energy and electric mobility, Only about 1% of demand is covered by recyclingThe reason is largely economic: low market prices, complex processes, and relatively small content make profitable large-scale operations difficult.
Public health and work: who pays the price?
Where recycling is informal or uncontrolled, management practices—searching for scrap in landfills, dumping on land or water, burning or heating in the open air, acid baths, crushing of plastics or manual dismantling—release pollutants that travel through the air and water, affecting entire communities. Open burning, for example, generates toxic fumes containing lead, dioxins, and mercury.
The World Health Organization warns of clear adverse outcomes, especially in children and pregnant women: increase in stillbirths and premature births, neurodevelopmental, learning, and behavioral problems (closely linked to lead), as well as decreased lung function and increased asthma. Many contaminants cross the placenta or pass into breast milk, exacerbating the risk at critical stages of development.
There is also a stark labour dimension: the ILO estimated in 2020 that 16,5 million children worked in the industrial sector, including the waste treatment subsectorIn countries with large informal workers, children are often used to disassemble equipment due to their manual dexterity. Comparative research in plants in Canada and Bangladesh shows exposure to plasticizers, flame retardants, fluids, lubricants, and coolants; in unprotected environments without mitigation measures, harmful particles volatilize and increase risks.
WEEE recycling can provide a livelihood for thousands of people: it is estimated that up to 100.000 people work in this sector in Nigeria and around 690.000 in China. But without controls, it represents 2% of the solid waste stream and can account for up to 70% of the hazardous waste. that ends up in landfills. Professionalizing and formalizing this activity is a matter of public health and social justice.
Prevention, international agreements and health response
Recipes include adopting and implementing international agreements, Strengthen national laws with a public health perspective, monitor landfills and communities, improve—not sweep—the informal sector, train health workers, and, of course, eliminate child labor. The Basel Convention controls the transboundary movement of hazardous waste; its 2019 Ban Amendment bans shipments from the OECD, EU, and Liechtenstein to other member states.
In addition, there are regional frameworks such as the Bamako Convention (Africa) and the Waigani Convention (South Pacific), which further restrict these movements. The WHO has launched a specific initiative on WEEE and child health. with pilot projects in Latin America and Africa, training materials for the health sector, and educational tools—including an updated module focused on lead, WEEE, and child health—to facilitate exposure monitoring and effective interventions.
How to recycle properly and what you can do
The first step is obvious but still overlooked: Do not throw these devices in the general wasteIn Spain, for example, there are municipal recycling centers where any citizen can deposit WEEE to ensure its treatment, reuse, or recycling. There are also collection networks supported by extended producer responsibility systems and distributors with acceptance obligations.
Good management has its rewards: it's estimated that up to 90% of the materials in a mobile phone can be reused in new products if treated properly. Tips for charging your mobile phone help extend their life and reduce the generation of WEEE. Of course, exporting waste to distant countries for cheap dismantling It adds emissions from transport and often degrades working and environmental conditions, which breaks the logic of well-understood circularity.
Most common types of electronic waste
- Large appliances such as refrigerators, ovens or washing machines. Its volume facilitates traceability, but they require specialized treatment by refrigerants.
- Small appliances (hair dryers, electric toothbrushes, toasters). Very dispersed and difficult to recover in high proportion.
- Monitors and displays, including televisions. They contain delicate components and, in older models, hazardous substances.
- Mobile phones and tablets. High value in metals and rapid replacement rates.
- Computer equipment: computers, printers, routers. Key to digitalization and with great potential for reuse.
- Luminaires and lamps. They require specific channels due to its composition.
Scenarios towards 2030: unchanged, progressive or aspirational
The GEM proposes three trajectories. If we do not change our pace, the documented global formal collection and recycling rate would fall to around 20% by 2030. The social and environmental cost would soar to $93.000 billion., with another 15.000 billion euros in treatment costs. Even recovering 42.000 billion euros in metals and 26.000 billion euros in avoided emissions, the balance would still be in deficit.
A progressive scenario would raise the global rate to 38% in 2030, almost balancing costs and benefitsTo achieve this, high-income countries with legislation and infrastructure should approach 85% collection, while the rest should scale up to at least 10% with environmentally sound management, prioritizing formalization and investment in capacity.
The aspirational scenario points to 60% by 2030. In that case, the benefits would exceed the costs by more than $38.000 billion.It would require countries with infrastructure to reach 85%, upper-middle-income economies without formal systems to divert waste from landfills, and low- and lower-middle-income countries to sustainably manage 40% of their WEEE, dignifying the informal sector and closing legal loopholes.
Dependence on rare earths and security of supply
The global economy continues to expect too much from a few countries for the supply of rare earth elements. Its recycling currently covers around 1% of demand., insufficient for critical technologies such as renewables and e-mobility. Strengthening design for disassembly, improving collection, and investing in economically viable recovery processes are strategic elements for industrial and climate autonomy.
Media, rights and how information circulates
Some of the reports and informative content on WEEE are published under open licenses, as Creative Commons, which facilitates its dissemination and responsible reuse. At the same time, many sites report using cookies to remember preferences and analyze which sections users find most interesting, a common practice to improve the browsing experience and measure audiences.
The media spotlight also helps raise awareness: reports with graphics and videos—with the typical warnings about third-party advertising—have outlined the figures and the social impact of WEEE, bringing the issue closer to a wider audienceAwareness is, ultimately, another necessary tool for changing consumption, repair, and recycling habits.
In a world where we depend on computers, mobile phones, electric bicycles and scooters, sensors, health devices and even electronic furniture, The key is no longer just what we buy, but how we use it, repair it and return it to the cycle.With clear goals, investment in infrastructure, control of cross-border flows, circular design, and an engaged citizenry, the leap from 22,3% to rates that truly make a difference is perfectly achievable and, moreover, profitable for society and the planet. Share this information and more users will learn about the risks of e-waste around the world.