The Global Challenge of E-Waste Generation

The worldwide generation of e-waste may be estimated at >57 × 109 kg in 2022 and is increasing at a yearly rate of 3–5%. In dealing with e-waste, there are currently large losses of valuable resources, accompanied by substantial workplace hazards and pollution beyond the workplace. Presumably, about 10% of global e-waste is disposed of by landfilling and municipal waste incineration. Informal processing is estimated to apply to about 70% of global e-waste. Legal handling of e-waste (formal processing)may regard <18% of global e-waste. There is partial recycling of the major metals present in e-waste, but the conservation of quality is very limited. There is currently very limited high-quality material recycling of synthetic polymers and very little recycling of glass present in e-waste. Losses of geochemically scarce elements in processing e-waste are large. Minimizing the losses of valuable resources, the associated workplace hazards, and pollution beyond the workplace presents a major challenge.