Read the full story in Waste Dive.
Globally, consumers generated 44.7 million metric tons of e-waste in 2016, according to a new report from the International Solid Waste Association, the United Nations University and the International Telecommunication Union. This number is 3.3 million metric tons higher than the reported tonnage of e-waste in 2014 — an 8% increase.
By 2021, there will be an estimated 52.2 million metric tons of e-waste generated, a 17% increase from 2016.
The report estimated raw material from e-waste had a total value of €55 billion in 2016. That’s based on the value of raw material in the devices, including copper, iron, gold, palladium, silver and plastics. Only 20% of e-waste is estimated to have been properly recycled in 2016.