The world threw away a record amount of smartphones, televisions and other electrical devices in 2022, the UN said Wednesday, warning this avalanche of dumped gadgets was polluting the planet.
Less than a quarter of the 62 million tonnes of electronic waste generated in 2022 was properly recycled, according to the United Nations. Photo: Daniel Beloumou Olomo / AFPthrew away a record amount of smartphones, televisions and other electrical devices in 2022, the UN said Wednesday, warning this avalanche of dumped gadgets was polluting the planet.
It also poses health risks, particularly in poorer countries where a lot of e-waste is sent from wealthier parts of the globe. Roughly twice as much e-waste was produced in 2022 compared to 2010 -- a weight equivalent to 107,000 of the world's largest and heaviest passenger jets. But that varies considerably across the globe, with someone in Europe producing roughly seven times the e-waste of someone in"It's very easy to buy something. It's just a few clicks... It's far more difficult to dispose of them," he said.Left unclaimed are raw materials like gold, copper and iron but also critical metals like cobalt that are vital for making batteries and have strategic value.
Around 18 million tonnes of e-waste is processed in the developing world, often in informal settings without proper equipment where workers are exposed to dangerous substances.Every year, unmanaged e-waste leads to 45,000 tonnes of harmful plastics and 58 tonnes of mercury entering the environment, the UN said.
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