Global e-waste management 2022, by method

An estimated 62 million metric tons of electronic waste were generated worldwide in 2022. Of this total, less than 14 million metric tons, or around 22.3 percent, was documented as formally collected and recycled. Meanwhile, some 18 million metric tons of e-waste was estimated to be handled in low- and lower-middle-income countries with limited management infrastructure. An estimated 14 million metric tons of e-waste were disposed as residual waste, most likely ending up in landfills.