Thursday 19 December 2013

Study Warns That E-Waste Could Grow By 33% By 2017

New data gathered by the United Nations, governments and science organisations has revealed that the total amount of electronic waste across the world could rise by a third in the next four years, reaching the weight of 200 Empire State Buildings, which is the equivalent of 72 million tonnes.

The data gathered, which has been used in a new initiative named 'Solving the E-Waste Problem' (StEP), includes a map of electronic waste around the world that gives information from 184 countries with estimations of the electronic devices sold in each of them and the amount of waste this will eventually generate. The map is published online and is aimed at helping national governments, as well as the business sector, tackle the electronic waste they produce. Currently, the United States and China are the biggest e-waste producers, with 11 million tonnes and 12.2 million tonnes, respectively.

Electronic waste includes all electrical and electronic appliances, from TV sets and irons to mobile phones and tablets - anything that needs a battery or a power cord to function. In view of the huge increase in its amount over the next years, businesses, as well as individual users of electronic and electric devices, should start looking for ways to reduce the waste they produce. For individuals, recycling or donating their unused gadgets for charity to be reused are the readily available options, while businesses would do well to consider some long-term strategies such as sustainable energy solutions and lasting technology that would need increased investment but will service them over a longer period.

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