Global E-waste Monitor 2020 | UPSC
HEADLINES:
E-waste to increase 38% by 2030: Report
WHY IN NEWS:
Most electronic waste around the world still not being collected and recycled properly: United Nations University
SYLLABUS COVERED: GS 3:REPORTS
LEARNING:
For PRELIMS you have to look out for greatest and smallest here . Remember the publisher .
For MAINS note down the toxic elements and the effects on human health.
ISSUE:
GLOBAL E-WASTE MONITOR 2020
PUBLISHED BY
The Global E-waste Monitor 2020 is a collaborative product of the
- Global E-waste Statistics Partnership (GESP), formed by the United Nations University (UNU).
- International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
- International Solid Waste Association (ISWA).
- UN Environment Programme (UNEP).

KEY TAKEAWAYS
- That is a nearly 21 per cent increase in just five years.
VOLUME GENERATED
- Asia generated the greatest volume of e-waste in 2019 — some 24.9 MT.
- Followed by the Americas (13.1 MT) and Europe (12 MT).
- Africa and Oceania generated 2.9 MT and 0.7 MT respectively.
E-WASTE TYPES
- Most E-waste in 2019 consisted of small equipment (17.4 MT),large equipment (13.1 MT) and temperature exchange equipment (10.8 MT).
- Screens and monitors, lamps, small IT and telecommunication equipment represented 6.7 MT, 4.7 MT, and 0.9 M respectively.
RECYCLING
- Less than 18 per cent of the e-waste generated in 2019 was collected and recycled.
- This means that e-waste consisting gold, silver, copper, platinum and other high-value, recoverable materials worth at least $57 billion was mostly dumped or burned rather than being collected for treatment and reuse.
LEGISLATION
- The number of countries that have adopted a national e-waste policy, legislation or regulation has increased from 61 to 78 and includes India.
- It is far from the target set by the International Telecommunication Union to raise the percentage of countries with an e-waste legislation to 50 per cent.
IASbhai WINDUP:
- However, formal recycling capacity remains under utilised, as the large majority of the waste is still handled by the informal sector.
- Hence, effective implementation of regulations is the way ahead to managing the e-waste that is yet to be regulated in at least 115 countries.
SOURCES:DOWNTOEARTH | Global E-waste Monitor 2020 | UPSC
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