The United Nations reported on Thursday that consumers dispose of or own unused electronic products that contain raw materials essential for the shift to green energy and are worth approximately $10 billion annually.
Metals like lithium, gold, silver, and copper are found in toys, cables, electronic cigarettes, tools, electric toothbrushes, shavers, headphones, and other household appliances.
These materials’ vital function in the quickly expanding green industries, such the manufacture of electric car batteries, is likely to drive up demand for them.
By 2030, the demand for copper is expected to increase six times in Europe alone to fulfill growing demands in important industries including renewable energy, communications, aerospace, and defense.
However, the materials are wasted because this “invisible” trash is thrown away rather than recycled or accumulates dust in houses, according to a research published on Thursday by the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR).
The “invisible” e-waste amounts to nine billion kilograms every year worldwide, with the related raw materials worth $9.5 billion, around one-sixth of the estimated 2019 total of $57 billion for all e-waste, UNITAR said.
“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.
“We need to change that and raising awareness is a large part of the answer.”
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.
Manufacturers have been responsible for collecting and recycling the waste in Europe since 2005, most often in partnership with environmental authorities.
But recycling rates remain patchy, said Guillaume Duparay of French non-profit organisation Ecosystem, pointing to a lack of awareness and information among consumers.
