Electronic waste is moving up on regulatory agendas in 2026: New European waste-shipment rules, expanded recycling fees on products with non-removable batteries in California, and an e-waste import ban in Malaysia, for example, are all increasing pressure to recover more value before electronics are shredded or exported. The world is projected to generate 82 million tonnes of e-waste annually by …
E-waste is what’s left when electronics fall out of use: phones, laptops, chargers, appliances, and office gear. Anything with a plug or battery that gets discarded, breaks, or is replaced early. In 2022, the world generated about 62 billion kg of e-waste, yet only ~22.3% was formally gathered and recycled. The gap keeps growing because...
By Josh Lepawsky My eye is caught by a recent news headline that proclaims “U.S. Isn’t Flooding the Third World with E-waste“. In the article, journalist Adam Minter – who in January spoke at the RGS-IBG Monday Night Lecture series – reports that the export of e-waste from the US is a trickle, rather than the flood it is often portrayed […]
