E-Waste Around the World

People throw out millions of electronic devices every year, whether they’re faulty, old, or obsolete. But while the machines in their current state might not be worth much, their components are. An increase in the rate of recycling for e-waste would correspond to billions of dollars worth of economic benefit. According to the Geneva Environment Network, recycled metals are two to 10 times more energy efficient than those smelted from virgin ore and mining old electronics for gold produces 80% fewer carbon dioxide emissions per unit than traditional mining. There’s a wealth of precious metals waiting to be mined in e-waste, where one person’s trash really is another’s treasure.

State of Generation

The United Nations’ Global E-Waste Monitor 2024 report provides figures for 2022, the latest year for which a complete accounting has been made.

• 62 million metric tons (68.3 million U.S. tons) of e-waste were generated
• 22.3% of its was properly collected and recycled
• $62 billion worth of recoverable natural resources went unaccounted for
• 1% of rare earth element demand is met by recycling
• 82 million metric tons (90.4 million U.S. tons) of e-waste would be generated in 2030 at those rates

Recycling by Region

Europe generates the most e-waste of any global region, but it’s also the best at recycling it. Africa generates the least and perhaps as a consequence doesn’t have great recycling solutions in place. Here’s a look at the percentage of e-waste collected by region.

• 42.8% Europe
• 41.4% Oceania
• 30% Americas
• 11.8% Asia
• 0.7% Africa

Taking Action

• 81 countries have adopted e-waste policy, legislation, or regulation
• 67 countries have legal provisions on extended producer responsibility for e-waste
• 37 countries have provisions on e-waste recycling rate targets
•  48 countries have provisions on e-waste collection rate targets

Recycling Rates by Category

• 34% large equipment such as dryers
• 27% temperature exchange equipment such as refrigerators
• 25% screens and monitors
• 22% small IT & telecommunication equipment
• 17% photovoltaic panels
• 12% small equipment such as toasters
• 5% lamps

Economic Value of Metals Found in E-Waste

In 2022, there was around $90 billion worth of metals to be found in e-waste.

• $19 billion copper
• $16 billion iron
• $15 billion gold
• $14 billion nickel
• $11 billion aluminum
• $8 billion palladium
• $2.3 billion cobalt
• $2.3 billion rhodium
• $1.4 billion tin
• $1 billion zinc
• $900 million silver
• $300 million antimony

New Technologies

Since 2010, the percentage of patent applications relating to e-waste recycling has quadrupled, with most of that growth coming since 2019. Technologies related to cable processing lead the way as a percentage of those e-waste recycling applications.

• 39% cables
• 11% circuit boards
• 2% solar equipment
• 1% lamps