The mountain of electronic waste
The world produced 62 million tonnes of e-waste in 2022 and documented recycling of just 22.3% of it. E-waste is growing five times faster than recycling.
How this affects people
Discarded phones, laptops and appliances contain valuable metals — and toxic ones like lead and mercury.
Much e-waste ends up in informal scrapyards, where workers burn cables to recover copper, exposing themselves and nearby communities to toxic smoke.
Look at what keeps the problem going
- 01Short product lifespans
- 02Hard-to-repair devices
- 03Weak take-back systems
- 04Exports of used electronics to informal recyclers
What could happen next
The future leaves room for choices. Compare the outlooks, check what supports them and notice where the evidence becomes less certain
Volumes keep rising
E-waste grows by about 2.6 million tonnes a year.
The future is not a timetable. These summaries reflect published scenarios and trends, with deeper uncertainty at longer horizons. Choices made now matter.
Where could a useful response begin?
Begin with a question you can investigate. Compare the sources and follow related briefings to see how the problem connects to other lives and places. This prototype does not accept proposals yet.
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