A report from the Institute of Studies of the UN based in Bonn (west of Germany) warns of strong growth in the generation of electronic trash around the world with serious implications for the global south.
According to the report, 53.6 billion tons of electronic waste were produced in 2019 – 7.3 kilograms per capita – and, if there is no change in practices, the figure would rise in 2030 to 74.7 billion tons and in 2050 to 110 billion tons. of tons.
Various studies, the report says, have been warning about the problem since the beginning of centuries and there are documentary films that show how in the primitive recycling of some valuable parts – the metals in cables, for example – toxic substances are released that harm the environment.
Experts estimate that the global south is becoming the graveyard for much of the electronic waste produced around the world. Data shows that about 80 percent of electronic waste leaves the countries where it was produced.
However, it is difficult to have precise data, since many times it is not possible to distinguish between the transport of electronic devices that can be repaired and reused and others that cannot be repaired and that are transported from one country to another for the purpose to do the scrapping in a place with less strict environmental protection laws.
In any case only for one 17% of the electronic waste that is produced, the treatment that is subsequently given to it is documented. In the rest of the cases, the treatment to which the waste is subjected is unknown and it is to be expected that it is not given a sustainable treatment.
The report warns that there are e-waste receiving countries in Africa, Southeast Asia, Central America and South America that have low recycling quotas and a high number of informal workers.
Countries in North and West Africa are the main recipients of uncontrolled exports of electronic waste originating mainly from Europe and to a lesser extent from Western Asia.
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Source: Gestion
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