83% of Global E-Waste Not Properly Recycled, Says UNCTAD

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development has disclosed that 83 per cent of global electronic waste is not properly recycled.

This was as it noted the amount of e-waste generated per individual per year could hit seven kilogrammes by 2050.

In an article titled ‘Curbing the digital economy’s growing environmental footprint’, it stated that e-waste from the constant flow of new gadgets and devices was becoming a growing concern.

It said, “Electronic waste, or e-waste, from the constant flow of new gadgets and devices is a growing concern.

 The latest Global E-waste Monitor reported a 21 per cent increase in global e-waste from 2014 to 2019, reaching 53.6 million metric tonnes, primarily originating in developed countries.

That amounts to roughly seven kilogrammes per person annually – a figure that could double by 2050.

“Sadly, only 17 per cent of e-waste is properly recycled. Improper disposal can contaminate soil and water sources.”

 The UN agency for trade highlighted that while digital technologies offered climate solutions, they also carry environmental costs.

The head of UNCTAD’s e-commerce and digital economy branch, Torbjorn Fredriksson, expanded, “We are at a crucial juncture, where the path we choose in digitalisation will significantly impact our environment and, ultimately, the future of our planet,”

The agency explained that the growth in the usage of the Internet is increasing energy demand and generating more emissions.

It noted the conveniences of e-commerce also come with environmental costs, such as the waste created by the stream of packages and the GHG emissions from last-mile delivery and returns.

“We must consider the digital and environmental transitions together,” Fredriksson added. Recommending solutions to companies, UNCTAD advised them to offer customers tools to measure, report, and reduce GHG emissions from their cloud services.

Design devices using sustainable materials, promoting longer product lifespans, and supporting the “right to repair” by providing third-party access to spare parts and repair information.

It added, “Use eco-friendly or reusable packaging materials and automated packaging systems to adjust box sizes to the contents. Improve supply chains and delivery logistics and promote circularity.”

Fredriksson argued, “Embracing these and other related practices will not only mitigate the environmental impact of digitalisation but also set a precedent for future technological developments.”

Courtesy: www.punchng.com