A record of 62 million tons noted the e-waste produced in 2022, according to a United Nations report. This number is up 82% from 2010, and a further 32% increase is expected in 2030.

Globally, the annual production of e-waste is increasing by 2.6 million tons per year, with a perspective to reach 82 million tons by 2030. Of the 62 million tonnes produced in 2022, 33% (20.4 million tonnes) were small appliances, of which just 12% was recycled. About 4.6 million tonnes were small IT and telecommunications equipment with a documented collection and recycling rate of just 22%.

Overall, the world’s e-waste generation growing five times faster than their recycling, as revealed by the UN’s fourth Global E-Waste Monitor. Notably, less than a quarter of the year’s 62 million tons of e-waste was recorded as being properly recycled, leaving US$62 billion worth of natural resources untapped and increasing pollution risks for communities worldwide. This figure is 42.8% in Europe, but less than 1% in African countries.

E-waste, i.e. any discarded product with a cable or battery, is a health and environmental hazard as it contains toxic additives or hazardous substances such as mercury which can damage the human brain.

The report predicts a fall in the documented collection and recycling rate from 22.3% in 2022 to 20% by 2030due to the widening gap in recycling efforts in relation to the huge increase in e-waste production worldwide.