Waste from Electrical and Electronic Equipment

Rising levels of e-wasteE-Waste and their unsafe treatment/disposalDisposal pose noteworthy risks to human health, environmentEnvironment, sustainable development, and to achieve the SDGs. A better understanding and data on e-wasteE-Waste will help address the following SDGs related to environmental protection, health as well as employment and economic growth. The total weight (excluding photovoltaic panels) of global electrical and electronic equipmentElectrical and Electronic Equipment (EEE) (EEE) consumption is increasing 2.5 Mt/year. In 2019, the world generated a striking 53.6 Mt of e-waste (excluding PV panels), an average of 7.3 kg per capita is expected to surge to 74.7 Mt in 2030 and reach 110 Mt in 2050. The rapid increase in this e-waste is driven by increasing consumption, short product life cycles as well as minor repairs. E-waste collection rates are high in high-income nations, but they are much lower in low- and middle-income nations—1.6% in sub-Saharan Africa and 1.2% in the Caribbean and Latin America. These huge quantities in combination with the fact that wasteWaste stream contain a wide range of hazardous compounds have turned WEEEWaste from Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) into a global environmental issue. In addition, hazardous compounds, such as dioxins, may be formed as the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) components are degraded. Hence, to avoid serious impacts on human health and the environmentEnvironment, it is crucial to ensure that WEEEWaste from Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) is taken care of right from collectionCollection and handling up to recycling and disposalDisposal. This chapter deals with characteristics, quantity, and material recoveryMaterial recovery techniques.