International E-Waste Day 2022
It’s International E-Waste Day 2022!
🌱 Why is there an International E-Waste Day?
International E-Waste Day, which is held annually on October 14th, intends to create awareness around the global impacts of e-waste and to promote circularity in electronic and electrical products. The day was initiated by the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment recycling (WEEE) Forum and it was first held in 2018, which makes today the fifth International E-Waste Day!
🌱 What is the slogan of International E-Waste Day 2022?
The slogan this year is: “Recycle it all, no matter how small!”. With this slogan, consumers are being encouraged to recycle their electrical and electronic devices and special attention is being drawn to the impacts of e-waste from small devices.
🌱 How much e-waste is produced from small e-devices each year?
In 2019, the UN estimated that worldwide over 22 million tonnes of e-waste were produced from small electrical and electronic devices. In other words, 40% of the 57 million tonnes of all e-waste globally result from small devices. There is annually a 3% increase both in the quantity of small devices used and in the total amount of e-waste produced. By 2030, it is therefore estimated that there will be 29 million tonnes of e-waste from small devices.
🌱 What issues and possibilities are linked to the disposal of small e-devices?
Many small electrical and electronic devices – such as mobile phones, cameras, toasters, and electric toothbrushes – are currently being disposed of incorrectly. Annually, Europeans throw up to 1.4 kg of e-waste per person into the general waste. By volume, small devices make up 8% of all the e-waste that is thrown into waste bins and subsequently lands in landfills or incinerators. Moreover, many small devices are stored instead of recycled. It is common for small devices to be forgotten in drawers, cupboards, garages, basements, or attics. In an average European household, up to 5 kg of small devices per person are laying around unrecycled. Small devices contain important and valuable raw materials. If they are recycled properly, these raw materials can be extracted and reused – which is key to transitioning over to a sustainable and circular economy.
💡 Interested in learning more about e-waste and its impacts? Then, have a read through our blog posts or check out the hashtag #EWasteDay. A bunch of organizations and news outlets will be posting about e-waste and circular economy today, which means it is a great day to learn more about both topics! (We will also be reposting a number of these posts on our LinkedIn page.)
Read more about International E-Waste Day here:
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