E-waste: A rapidly growing problem
The problem of e-waste is a relatively recent pollution issue that truly ballooned in the 20th and 21st century. This is due to its inherent nature—after all, television screens and laptops weren’t a thing in the 1800s!
With the rise of the digital age and technology developments, e-waste levels rose exponentially and continue to grow till the present day.
Global amount of e-waste generated each year (Forti et al., 2020).
It’s clear that the onset of the digital age has exacerbated the problem of e-waste in our society, and that it will only continue to worsen in the coming years.
According to Forti et al. (2020), the global quantity of e-waste is increasing at a worrying rate of nearly 2 Mt per year. This suggests that current recycling activities are failing to keep up with the global growth of e-waste, and that what we’re doing now to tackle e-waste is definitely not enough.
References
Forti V., Baldé C.P., Kuehr R., & Bel G. (2020). The Global E-waste Monitor 2020: Quantities, flows and the circular economy potential. United Nations University (UNU)/United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) – co-hosted SCYCLE Programme, International Telecommunication Union (ITU) & International Solid Waste Association (ISWA), Bonn/Geneva/Rotterdam.