A new report from the United Nations reveals that record amounts of electronic waste, or e-waste, are being generated worldwide.
In 2022, 62 billion kilograms of e-waste was produced globally, with less than a quarter of it being collected and recycled properly. This raises concerns about the impact of discarded electronics on the environment. When old electronics are thrown away in general trash, they often end up in landfills, where they can leak toxic chemicals from their metals.
The UN’s Global E-waste Monitor studies how much e-waste is produced and recycled around the world. The latest report shows that in the past 12 years, e-waste production has nearly doubled, growing from 34 billion kilograms to a record 62 billion kilograms in 2022. This amount of waste weighs about 200 times as much as the Empire State Building in New York City!
The amount of e-waste generated is five times higher than what is being recycled. This means that a lot of electronic waste ends up in landfills, where it can release harmful chemicals into the environment.
Europe has the highest levels of e-waste. The report urges all countries to take action, especially wealthier nations, to help poorer countries set up proper e-waste collection and recycling systems.
These chemicals can harm nearby plants and animals by damaging the environment. Therefore, it’s important for everyone to think about what happens to their electronics when they are no longer needed. Recycling old gadgets and finding ways to reuse them can help reduce the impact of e-waste on our planet.
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