Electronic Waste Surges, Outpacing Recycling Efforts: UN Report

GENEVA / BONN, March 20, 2024 – A recent report from the United Nations reveals a staggering rise in electronic waste (e-waste) generation, far outpacing efforts in recycling. The fourth Global E-waste Monitor (GEM) indicates that e-waste production has surged five times faster than documented recycling activities, posing significant environmental and health risks worldwide. In 2022 alone, a record 62 million tonnes of e-waste were generated globally, equivalent to filling approximately 1.55 million 40-tonne trucks. However, only a fraction of this e-waste (22.3%) was properly collected and recycled, leaving an estimated USD 62 billion worth of recoverable resources unaccounted for