On Saturday, October 14, the world will observe the 6th annual International E-Waste Day to raise awareness and promote action on the growing problem of electronic waste. But did you know that e-waste is not only the discarded laptops, smartphones, and TVs that we usually think of but also a vast category of smaller items that often go unnoticed by consumers and end up in landfills or incinerators?
Invisible e-waste: A silent crisis
In the hidden corners of our homes, a silent crisis brews – one that often escapes our notice yet bears immense consequences for our environment.
According to a new study by the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), these “invisible” e-waste items amount to 9 billion kilograms of e-waste every year, one-sixth of all e-waste worldwide.
What's alarming is that a significant portion of this waste falls into the "invisible" e-waste category, comprising items like unused cables, electronic toys, LED-decorated novelty clothes, power tools, vaping devices, and other small consumer products that often go unnoticed by consumers.
If these "invisible" e-waste items were gathered in one place, they would form a mountain equal to the weight of almost half a million 40-tonne trucks, spanning a mind-boggling 5,640 kilometers, stretching from Rome to Nairobi. This overlooked crisis is the focus of the 6th annual International E-Waste Day, scheduled for Saturday.
The urgency of addressing this issue becomes evident when we consider the hazardous components within these products. Devices like vaping tools, which have gained popularity, contain lithium batteries, posing severe fire risks when discarded. Additionally, lithium is deemed a 'strategic raw material' crucial for Europe's economy and green energy transition. Yet, its supplies are at risk due to improper disposal, it said in a press release.
The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Forum, responsible for organizing International E-Waste Day, collaborated with the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) to shed light on the scale of this "invisible" e-waste crisis. Their findings revealed alarming statistics: approximately 3.2 billion kilograms, or 35%, of the 9 billion kilograms of invisible e-waste comprise electronic toys. These include race car sets, electric trains, music toys, drones, and more, with a staggering 7.3 billion individual items discarded annually, averaging one e-toy for every person on Earth.
Furthermore, a global trend, vaping devices contribute to this crisis, with an estimated 844 million devices discarded annually, forming a mountain of e-waste three times the weight of New York's Brooklyn Bridge or six Eiffel Towers. Additionally, 950 million kilograms of discarded cables containing precious, easily recyclable copper were recorded last year, enough to circle the Earth 107 times.
The repercussions of this invisible e-waste crisis extend beyond the confines of our homes. Many individuals need to be made aware of these items' recyclable potential, resulting in valuable resources being squandered. In a time when the demand for copper is predicted to rise sixfold by 2030 in Europe alone, these wasted resources could prove pivotal in meeting the needs of strategic sectors like renewable energy and electric mobility.
Economic impact
The economic impact of e-waste is also significant, with the global e-waste generated in 2019 estimated at a staggering US $57 billion. Within this total, the invisible e-waste category alone accounts for $9.5 billion in material value each year. Precious materials like iron, copper, and gold are discarded, further exacerbating the economic and environmental strain.
Pascal Leroy, Director-General of the WEEE Forum, emphasizes overseeing these e-waste items due to their inconspicuous nature. People often fail to recognize smoke detectors or smart thermostats as electrical products, leading to improper disposal and potential environmental hazards.
Magdalena Charytanowicz of the WEEE Forum underlines the need for increased awareness, comparing the invisibility of e-waste to plastic pollution, an issue that has garnered significant attention in recent years. She hopes raising awareness will lead to a similar global consciousness about the e-waste problem.
In Europe, efforts to combat this crisis have been underway for two decades, thanks to Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) legislation. Yet, globally, the reported average collection rate remains just above 17%. Virginijus Sinkevičius, European Commissioner for the Environment, advocates for a circular economy for electronics, emphasizing the need to reduce environmental impact and fortify the value chain.
Jan Vlak, the president of the WEEE Forum, stresses the collective responsibility in managing e-waste. Producers, consumers, refurbishers, retailers, and recyclers must collaborate, emphasizing the need for updated EPR principles congruent with circular economy ideals. Only through such collaborative efforts can the collection of e-waste be successfully increased.
As the world commemorates International E-Waste Day on October 14, it serves as a clarion call for global citizens to recognize the invisible crisis lurking within our homes. By acknowledging and responsibly managing these seemingly inconspicuous electronic items, we can contribute significantly to a sustainable future, preserving our environment and valuable resources for future generations.
Originally published on Interesting Engineering : Original article