Electrical Waste (Global Market) Electronic Waste

2021

Russia ranked 30th in terms of electronic waste in Europe

Russia ranked 30th in terms of electronic waste in Europe. This is evidenced by the data released in November 2021 by the British company Clear It Waste Removal, specializing in garbage disposal.

The first place in the compiled list was taken, Norway where one household accounts for about 57 kg of electronic waste per year. This is about the equivalent of six microwave ovens. The value Russia in is 29.4 kg, which is less than, for example, (Germany 40.7 kg) and (France 46.2 kg), but more than Belarus (23.3 kg) and (19.3 Ukraina kg).

Russia ranked 30th in terms of electronic waste in Europe

The study notes that the total volume of electronic waste in Britain could potentially be 1 529 000 000 kg - the equivalent weight of 1274 London double-decker buses,

One of the most popular Christmas gifts will be electronic goods, this will lead to the throwing away of old models of smartphones, TVs and computers, which will aggravate the growing problem of electronic waste, the authors of the report point out.

As part of the international forum on waste management of electric and electronic devices (The WEEE Forum), scientists conducted a study and found that the amount of garbage from gadgets around the world is growing rapidly. Experts estimated the electronics discarded in 2021 at 57.4 million tons and compared by weight with the Great Wall of China.

According to the researchers, a significant amount of metal, plastic and precious mineral resources are rarely recycled - usually spare parts of devices are burned or sent to landfills. Scientists are calling for this approach to be abandoned in favor of repairing equipment and reprocessing components in order to reduce the need for new resources and reduce the carbon footprint - for each ton of waste, two tons of carbon dioxide emissions are accounted for.^{[1] [2]}

Bitcoin mining forms 30.7 thousand tons of electronic garbage per year

In mid-September 2021, economists from the central bank of the Netherlands, in collaboration with specialists from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, found out that one Bitcoin transaction leads to the formation of the same amount of electronic garbage as the disposal of two iPhone. More details here.

Biden approves strategy to dispose of electric vehicle batteries

In early June 2021, US President Joe Biden approved a strategy for recycling electric vehicle batteries. The decommissioned batteries are expected to be recycled to recover and reuse lithium and other metals. More details here.

2020: Start the hard drive recycling system with hydrogen

September 18, 2020 it became known about the creation in Russia of technology for the complete processing of computer hard drives. It was developed by Roselektroniki engineers, who found a way to completely recycle magnets from HDD using hydrogen treatment, and then synthesize new magnets from the resulting hydrides. More details here.

2019: E-waste volume grew by 21% and reached record highs

In 2019, the volume of electronic waste increased by 21% to 53.6 million tons, according to a report by the UN Global Electronic Waste Monitoring. This is equivalent to 7.3 kg of discarded household appliances and gadgets for every resident of the planet. If current trends continue, then by 2030 the volume of global electronic waste will grow to 74 metric tons - that is, the value will double over the past 16 years.

Vanessa Forti of the University of the United Nations and her colleagues report in a new report that the amount of electronic waste in 2019 has reached record levels, the mass of discarded equipment already exceeds the total weight of the entire adult population. Europe The largest amount of waste produced - Asia 24.9 million tons; followed by North and South America (13.1 million tons) and (12 Europe million tons); and the last positions are occupied by Africa Oceania (2.9 and 0.7 million tons). However, when converted per capita, the picture looks different: Europe (16.2 kg) and Oceania (16.1 kg) lead here, and Asia takes the penultimate place (5.6 kg).

Electronic waste production in different years

About 17.4 million tons were accounted for by small equipment, such as vacuum cleaners, cameras or fans. About 13.1 million tons amounted to larger equipment, including stoves and washing machines. It also released 10.8 million tons of cooling and heating equipment, 6.7 million tons of monitors and screens, 4.7 million tons of small IT and telecommunications equipment and 0.9 million tons of lamps.

At the same time, only 17.4% of electronic waste was collected and processed. This means that gold, silver, copper, platinum and other expensive materials, the cost of which researchers estimated at $57 billion, were discarded or burned, although they could be extracted for reuse[1]The Global E-waste Monitor 2020

According to experts, electronic waste is a threat to human health and the environment because it contains toxic additives and hazardous substances such as mercury, which has a negative effect on the human brain and/or its vestibular apparatus.

The report notes that the weight of electronic waste discarded in 2019 significantly exceeded the weight of the entire adult population of Europe or was equal to the weight of 350 cruise ships of the Queen Mary 2 scale, of which you can make a line 125 km long.

Since 2014, according to general indicators, weight increased the fastest: heat exchange equipment (+ 7% by 2019), large equipment (+ 5%), lamps and small equipment (+ 4%). According to the report, this trend is determined by the increasing consumption of these products in lower income countries, where these products increase the standard of living. Indicators for small IT and telecommunication equipment have increased more slowly, and there has been a slight decrease (-1 per cent) in screens and monitors, mainly due to the fact that lighter flat panel displays replace heavy monitors and CRT screens.

Much more electronic waste is produced in most parts of the world than is safely disposed of. Further joint efforts are required to raise awareness of this growing problem and to take appropriate measures to complement relevant research and training, "said Nihil Seth, Executive Director of the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR[3][4]

2016: Emission of 44.7 million tons of electronic garbage

In December 2017, it became known that in 2016 the volume of electronic garbage in the world increased by 8% compared to 2014 and reached 44.7 million tons. This is reported in a report prepared by the International Telecommunication Union and the International Solid Waste Association (ISWA).

To understand how threatening the problem is, the ONN noted that the electronic garbage discarded in 2016 - failed mobile phones, laptops, refrigerators and other equipment - is equivalent to 4.5 thousand in weight. Eiffel Towers. Moreover, the situation will worsen in the future: by 2021, 52.2 million tons of electronic waste are expected to be emitted in the world, which pose a threat to human health and the environment.

E-Waste Assessment and Forecast

In 2016, Asia generated the most electronic garbage - 18.2 million tons. In second place is Europe - 12.3 million tons, followed by North and South America (11.3 million tons), Africa (2.2 million tons) and Oceania (0.7 million tons). Although Oceania closes the list, the highest volume of electronic garbage production per capita is noted here - 17.3 kg per person (the world average is 6.1 kg). Slightly lower in Europe - 16.6 kg, in the Americas - 11.6 kg, in Asia - 4.2 kg, in Africa - 1.9 kg.

It follows from the report that most of all in 2016 small electronics and large-sized equipment were ejected - 16.8 and 9.1 million tons. Heat exchange equipment (air conditioners, refrigerators) accounted for 7.6 million tons, displays - 6.6 million tons, small electronics and electric lamps - 3.9 and 0.7 million tons.^[5]

The organization expressed concern that in 2016 only 20% of electronic scrap, or 8.9 million tons, was properly processed, and the rest was in landfills or incinerators.

The electronics contain valuable metals such as gold, silver, copper, platinum and others. In 2016, the cost of such materials, not extracted from discarded electronics, amounted to $55 billion^[6]

2014

In 2014, the world volume of electronic and electrical waste reached a record level of 41.8 million, writes The Guardian, citing a UN report^[7]

As noted, the highest per capita rate is recorded in those countries that position themselves as environmentally responsible.

The report says that most of the garbage is made up of refrigerators, washing machines and other household appliances. The report notes that this amount of waste can be compared with 1.15 million heavy trucks standing in a line 23 thousand km long.

Less than one sixth of all electrical waste is disposed of according to the rules.

According to the organization, it tops the list with the largest electronic garbage per capita, Norway followed by Switzerland Iceland,,, Denmark Great Britain Holland,,, and Sweden France USA Austria.

See also

• Incinerators of Russia
• Electrical waste (Russian market) Electronic garbage
• Garbage recycling
• Technologies in garbage recycling
• Plastic waste

• Space debris