Electronic waste such as old electronic toys, unused cables and discarded e-cigarettes still contain numerous valuable raw materials that could be recycled. The lithium and copper it contains are of particular economic interest, but so are other metals. However, most of these devices are not recycled, but rather unused and usually not disposed of in an environmentally friendly manner. A study has now determined the extent and economic value of “invisible” electronic waste. According to this, around nine billion kilograms of this electronic waste are generated worldwide every year, a large part of which ends up in normal waste.
A number of used electrical appliances are not recycled, but are instead incorrectly disposed of with household waste, which is not recycled. This so-called “invisible” e-waste includes electric toys, cables and e-cigarettes. Other examples of common "invisible" e-waste items in the home include electronic toothbrushes, razors, external drives and other PC accessories, headphones and earphones, remote controls, speakers, LED lights and LED-containing clothing, power tools, thermometers and blood pressure devices, and heat and smoke detectors.
Many discarded electronic devices contain lithium in their batteries, which makes them rechargeable. However, in the trash they pose a fire hazard. The European Commission also considers lithium a “strategic raw material” that is important for the European economy and the transition to green energy. The supply of lithium in Europe is difficult and does not cover demand. The same applies to copper, which is found in many old cables that are disposed of with household waste or are stored unused in many households. They also represent a valuable but so far unused resource while demand for copper is increasing. Lithium and copper are used in the renewable energy, electromobility, communications, aerospace and defense industries.
Worldwide survey of unused electronic waste
But how much e-waste is actually generated and what are its raw materials worth? The United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) has now calculated this. The study was commissioned by the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Forum, which organizes International Electronic Waste Day. According to this, the “invisible” electronic waste that is generated worldwide every year currently weighs around nine billion kilograms, and the trend is rising. The largest share of this is made up of electronic toys such as model cars, musical devices, dolls and drones. Around 7.3 billion electrical devices are disposed of every year - an average of one per person worldwide. Together they weigh 3.2 billion kilograms, which accounts for 35 percent of all “invisible” e-waste.
Old devices for controlling and monitoring apartments and houses, such as alarm systems, monitors and temperature controllers, also account for a high proportion of e-waste at 1.3 billion kilograms annually. At least 844 million of used vaping devices such as e-cigarettes are produced every year. In addition, around 950 kilograms of copper-containing cables were disposed of instead of recycled last year. The investigation also found that the raw materials contained in global e-waste, such as iron, copper and gold, but also lithium, were collectively worth around $57 billion in 2019. Of this, $9.5 billion was “invisible” e-waste.
Why does e-waste end up in the trash?
Many of the devices could be recycled if the owners handed them over and disposed of them properly at the appropriate municipal collection point. But most consumers are not sufficiently informed and are usually not aware of which devices are affected and overlook their recycling potential, as Pascal Leroy from the WEEE Forum explains. “People tend to recognize household electrical products as those that they plug in and use regularly. “But many people are confused about which waste category battery-operated or wired accessories, peripherals, specialty, hobby and leisure products fit into and how they can be recycled,” says Leroy. For example, many people would not recognize smoke detectors or smart thermostats as electrical products because they do not have a plug.
At the same time, many people are not aware that electronic waste often contains dangerous components. “If treated improperly, substances such as lead, mercury or cadmium can enter the soil and water and contaminate them,” adds Leroy. But not only the disposal, but also the production and consumption of electronic devices have a significant impact on the environment and the climate. “We therefore need to promote a circular economy for electronics, as well as other products, to reduce our impact on the environment while strengthening the value chain,” says Virginijus Sinkevičius, EU Commissioner for the Environment.
(Video: WEEE Forum)
How much is recycled?
In Europe, with 55 percent of old devices, the most electronic devices in the world are currently collected and recycled because laws here have been obliging producers to take back old devices for 20 years. However, according to the United Nations, only around 17 percent of e-waste is recycled worldwide. The WEEE Forum therefore urges that not only consumers and producers act more sustainably, but also retailers, regulatory authorities and reuse companies. The WEEE Forum's “International E-waste Day” draws attention to the increasing dangers and potential of “invisible” electronic waste every year on October 14th.
Source: WEEE Forum