Global e-waste generation 2022, by major country

China is by far the largest producer of electronic waste worldwide, generating more than 12 million metric tons worth in 2022. The United States followed, with roughly seven million metric tons produced. Global electronic waste generation amounted to approximately 62 million metric tons in 2022 and is expected to increase further in the coming years.

What is electronic waste?

Electronic waste is often referred to as e-waste, and is the fastest growing waste stream worldwide. E-waste consists of electronic equipment that has reached the end of its useful life. It includes a wide variety of products used in everyday life such as old phones, televisions, fridges, and air conditioners. The most common type of e-waste is small equipment as microwaves, electric kettles, and cameras.

E-waste disposal

Due to electronic products often containing harmful components, proper disposal of e-waste is imperative. However, the destination of e-waste generated worldwide still goes mostly undocumented, with millions of tons estimated to end up annually in landfills. Improper disposal can not only cause major environmental hazards, such as toxic chemical leaching; e-waste contains valuable resources such as gold, silver, and platinum. It is projected that billions of dollars’ worth of these valuable metals are discarded with e-waste every year.