A new report foresees a pandemic-related drop in e-waste globally. Much of the world bought fewer electronics in 2020, with rich countries as an exception. It’s a signal that COVID-19 has made the digital divide worse.
Foreseen drop in 2020 sales-related e-waste : 4.9 million metric tonnes or ~6.4%; Pandemic intensified digital divide between high, middle and low income.
Zoran Milich/Getty Images
The covid-19 pandemic has caused a slump in the sale of electronic devices and a resulting fall in electronic waste, UN researchers have found. This may offer governments an opportunity to improve e-waste recycling, but the decline in sales has mostly affected poorer countries, which could widen the digital divide.
In 2019, the global population created 53.6 million tonnes of e-waste – discarded electronics that contain toxic substances such as brominated flame retardants, lead and mercury. East and South-East Asia accounted for over 22 million tonnes of this waste, while Europe and North America generated slightly less than 20 million tonnes.
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