The lack of recycling these electronics is posing serious health and environmental risks. It is estimated that 41.8 million metric tons of electronic waste was generated worldwide in the year 2014. The amount of worldwide electronic waste is expected to grow at a rate of 4-5 percent. Only 15 percent of the electronic waste was properly handled and treated in 2014. Flash forward to 2016 and you’ll find that nearly 45 million tons of electronic waste was generated. This is the equivalent of 4500 Eiffel towers! It is projected that by the year 2021, there will be an accumulated 17 percent increase of electronic waste. This makes it the fastest growing part of the world’s overall waste. According to the EPA, the excessive amount of lead in e-waste, if released into the environment, could cause severe damage to our blood and kidneys, as well as our central nervous system. According to the EPA, recycling 1 million laptops saves the energy equivalent to the electricity used to power nearly 3700 homes in the U.S each year.

Source: UNU – United Nations University and The Economic Times