PARIS, France- Consumers discard or possess disused electronic goods containing raw materials critical for the green energy transition and worth almost $10 billion every year, the United Nations said on Thursday.
In Europe alone, copper demand is predicted to multiply by six by 2030 to meet rising needs in key sectors like renewable energy, communications, aerospace and defence. "Invisible e-waste often falls under the recycling radar of those disposing of them because they are not seen as e-waste," said Magdalena Charytanowicz of the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Forum, an international association of non-profit organisations that commissioned the report.More than one-third of the"invisible" waste came from toys such as race cars, talking dolls, robots and drones, with 7.3 billion items thrown away annually.
In Europe, 55 percent of electric and electronic waste is recycled, but the global average drops to a little over 17 percent.