Urgent Action Needed to Address Growing E-Waste Crisis

According to WHO, electronic waste (e-waste) is rapidly becoming one of the world’s fastest-growing solid waste streams, with an estimated 62 million tonnes produced globally in 2022. Alarmingly, only 22.3% of this waste was formally recycled.

Informal recycling practices, often involving hazardous methods like open burning, expose millions—especially children and pregnant women—to toxic substances such as lead and mercury. The International Labour Organization (ILO) estimates that 16.5 million children were engaged in industrial work in 2020, many in dangerous e-waste recycling sectors.

These unsafe practices can release up to 1,000 different chemical substances into the environment, leading to serious health risks, including neurodevelopmental issues and respiratory problems. Vulnerable populations in low- and middle-income countries face the greatest dangers due to inadequate regulations and recycling infrastructure.