ITU Projects Global E-Waste to Reach 82 Million Metric Tonnes by 2030
The International Telecommunication Union (ITU), in collaboration with UNEP, has published the Global E-waste Monitor 2024, projecting that global electronic waste volumes will reach 82 million metric tonnes annually by 2030. This increase is driven by the rapid turnover of consumer electronics, such as smartphones, which now have replacement cycles of less than three years in mature markets. The report highlights the economic incentives for recycling operations due to the presence of valuable metals like gold, palladium, and copper in electronic components. However, the e-waste recycling market faces challenges from informal sector competition and material leakage, particularly in developing regions where informal operators handle over 50% of collected e-waste. 
