UN warns of looming surge in e-waste A landmark EU-funded report co-produced by the United Nations University (UNU) warns of a significant increase in waste from electronic products (e-waste) over the next decade. Soaring sales of mobile phones, computers and other electronic products is likely to impact public h... A landmark EU-funded report co-produced by the United Nations University (UNU) warns of a significant increase in waste from electronic products (e-waste) over the next decade. Soaring sales of mobile phones, computers and other electronic products is likely to impact public health and the environment in countries ill-equipped to properly handle the surge in waste material. Titled 'Recycling - from E-Waste to Resources', the report received funding from the European Commission's Directorate-General for the Environment. It was co-authored by EMPA (Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Testing and Research), Umicore, and UNU - all part of the global think tank StEP (Solving the E-waste Problem). The report presents findings of data collected from 11 developing countries across the globe on national policies, skills, waste collection networks and informal recycling. The results are used as a way to illustrate the current e-waste problem and to predict future trends at a global level. In 2007, more than 1 billion mobile phones were sold on the international market. Over 150 million mobiles and pagers were sold in the US alone in 2008, almost double the amount sold 5 years prior. These sales figures inevitably mean a dramatic increase in the volume of e-waste generated worldwide, a figure which currently sits at 40 million tonnes per year. Compared with 2007 statistics, the report predicts that waste from old computers will skyrocket to 400% in both China and South Africa by 2020. Waste from discarded refrigerators will double or triple in India while old mobile phones in the country will increase 18-fold. By 2020, e-waste from computers in countries like Senegal and Uganda will increase fourfold to eightfold. China is the second largest receptacle of e-waste (although e-waste imports were banned, the country still receives waste from developed countries). At approximately 2.3 million tonnes, China trails behind the 3 million tonnes level held by the United States. Importantly, the majority of China's e-waste is improperly disposed of using practices that release toxic pollution. UN Under-Secretary-General Achim Steiner, Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), said: 'This report gives new urgency to establishing ambitious, formal and regulated processes for collecting and managing e-waste via the setting up of large, efficient facilities in China.' He added that China is not the only country that will be confronted with the challenge. The threat of environmental damage and health problems as a result of poor e-waste recycling is likely to be faced by Brazil, India, Mexico and other countries. As well as cutting greenhouse gas emissions, preventing health problems and recovering valuable metals, Mr Steiner explained that better waste recycling can mean a boost to employment. 'By acting now and planning forward, many countries can turn an e-challenge into an e-opportunity,' he said. 'One person's waste can be another's raw material,' added Konrad Osterwalder, UN Under-Secretary General and Rector of UNU in Japan. 'The challenge of dealing with e-waste represents an important step in the transition to a green economy.' Mr Osterwalder concluded, 'This report outlines smart new technologies and mechanisms which, combined with national and international policies, can transform waste into assets, creating new businesses with decent green jobs. In the process, countries can help cut pollution linked with mining and manufacturing, and with the disposal of old devices.' Countries China, India, Japan, Senegal, Uganda, United States, South Africa
