Global e-Waste is Continuing to Climb as Canada and the US Still Haven’t Called Crisis

There are plenty of recycling crises out there, such as plastics, which receive a lot of attention. Electronic waste, such as that from our smartphones and computers, doesn’t receive nearly the press it should. Perhaps it’s because in Canada and the United States, we ship so much of our electronic waste off to other countries like India and the developing world where they are left to gather indefinitely – out of sight, out of mind.

There’s no disputing e-waste is a problem. More than plastic, glass, and metal, e-waste is the fastest growing category of waste in the world. In the past decade, e-waste has doubled worldwide to over 49 million tonnes produced annually. By 2021, e-waste is predicted to grow to 57 million tonnes and that’s going to presumably continue long into the future.

Electronic waste is so often discarded because countries don’t know how to recycle it. E-waste can be difficult to separate and there’s not a lot of public education on what’s recyclable in it. Therefore, many people will simply toss out their smartphones, computers, and electronics in the trash. Even though there are recyclable components in e-waste – chemicals, plastics, and metal – they end up building up in our landfills and that potential’s wasted.

In some areas, e-waste is an even bigger problem in developing countries compared to Canada and the United States. In India, for example, millions of tonnes of e-waste are generated every year and are gathering at recycling centers with no end in sight on how to process them. The problem’s so bad in India that many local families and companies go mining the streets for electronic waste to re-sell.

Although this isn’t a bad thing, it does expose searchers to potential harm in extracting the elements and then, in the exposure to the elements. For example, many electronics contain lead and/or mercury and their extraction needs to be done carefully. The extraction process also involves using things like nitric or hydrochloric acid which can contaminate local water supply if it’s not discarded properly.

There is opportunity here in Toronto to remove unwanted electronics from waste, and to repair, refurbish, and harvest them into re-sellables. On other occasions, e-waste might just be e-waste and may require a more extensive recycling process. There’s nothing wrong with that. We simply just need the facilities to be able to do the work. Our old mobile phones, old laptops, and more are rich in gold, silver, cobalt, and copper. According to a study published in 2016, worldwide value of e-waste in raw materials in landfills was $55 billion at the time. That’s huge!

Companies like Apple are seeking ways to build product with more renewable materials or recycled products however even so, e-waste is still growing and will forever be something we have to contend with as long as we continue accepting technology into our lives. The needs of Toronto’s e-waste are underserved and something the GTA should look at in the months ahead, as we continue to push towards a zero waste society.

Core Mini Bins’ ultimate goal is to support the environmental needs of our planet. We only have one planet. As a waste management and recycling company, we can help in minimizing waste, maximizing recycling, and ensuring nothing is wasted without explanation. Contact a representative at Core Mini Bins today.