E-waste Recovery Growing Three Times Faster than Other Waste Streams

A new study released this month from SBI Energy indicates that electronic waste is growing three times faster than any other type of waste. The report, “E-Waste Recycling and Reuse Services Worldwide,” also showed a market growth of 10 percent, increasing from $6.2 billion in 2009 to $6.8 billion. The study predicts e-waste collection services can expect to triple by 2020.

E-waste is a small portion of global waste, contributing only a 0.01 percent to 3 percent of the total global waste, but it is growing at a rate two to three times faster than any other waste stream, according to a new report from SBI Energy.

The rapid rise in e-waste recovery is due in large part to three factors: increased spending on electronic products, enhanced awareness of its high toxicity, and the growing recognition of the valuable substances found in some electronic components.

Increases spending on electronics products, both by consumers and businesses, is driving the accelerated e-waste growth. Electronic products are becoming obsolete at a faster rate, especially mobile devices, due to rapid improvements in technology, design and functionality. The product on the market today is not always the best product on the market in six months.

The relative high toxicity of e-waste has brought about increased regulation of the waste stream. Earlier this year, the EPA introduced a stewardship program to encourage businesses and consumers to recycle their electronics with certified recyclers, such as HOBI International, and for electronic recyclers to become certified, of which HOBI maintains both R2 and ISO14001 certifications. These regulations are not only promoting best practices within the industry but also promoting responsible practices by electronics users.

The third factor driving e-waste market growth is the growing recognition of valuable resources, such as lead, copper and gold, found in some e-waste components. These resources may be reclaimed at a profit and subsequently reused in manufacturing. The environmental benefits of reclaiming these resources from e-waste are significant. E-waste mining is much safer and smarter for the environment than traditional mining industries.

E-waste is estimated to comprise less than 3% of the world's total solid waste stream. Despite being such a small portion of world waste, e-waste will remain under the microscope because of its high toxicity and its rapid growth. With proper regulations in place and certified recyclers leading the way, e-waste will become less of an environmental problem.

Contact HOBI for more information about responsible e-waste recycling for your organization.