WEEE facts

Of the 53,6 million metric tons (Mt) of e-waste generated globally in 2019 (on average that is 7,3 kg per person) about 17% (9,3 Mt) was documented to have been collected and properly recycled. Since 2014, documented recycling of WEEE has grown with 0,4 Mt per year. Yet, during that same period, E-waste generation grew annually by about 2 Mt, which shows that developments in collection and recycling are unable to keep up and must be expanded (UNU/ UNITAR & ITU, 2020). E-waste that is not formally collected and treated responsibly either ends up in household waste or is dismantled to retrieve their valuable components in ways that are harmful to the environment and human health. In module 4 we will investigate how E-waste collection might be improved.