Our growing reliance on technology at home and in the workplace has raised the profile of e-waste.
This is around 1,000 times more e-waste than was produced in 2023.
This rising tide of e-waste, coupled with the limited lifetimes of hi-tech devices, could affect globalsustainability goals.
However,less than 20%is formally recycled.
Meeting these demands could require investments exceeding US$500 billion (395 billion) for data centre infrastructure.
Theenvironmental impactsof e-waste are considerable.
Processing e-waste in India.
The toxic chemicals in electronic and electrical hardware cancontaminate soil and water.
In some parts of the world,e-waste is burnedto extract valuable materials,generating air pollution.
Even the processes to formally recycle materialspose challengesbecause of thehazardous materialsin waste.
Theres particular concern over the effects of e-waste on human health.
Children areparticularly vulnerable, because their development can be affected by toxic substances in the environment.
The economic impacts of e-waste are also significant.
A three-year lifespan was assumed for computer servers in data centres, based on historical information.
The amount of e-waste was calculated by estimating the numbers of servers being discarded each year.
This enabled the projection of cumulative volumes of e-waste for each scenario up to 2030.
The substantial increase in waste technology underscores the need for intervention strategies.
Integrating green design into electronic products could also benefit the environment.
Raising awareness among the public is also vital.
Governments are tasked with setting standards for e-waste collection and recycling.
These help ensure that e-waste is disposed of safely and efficiently.
Some e-waste will always exist, as technological advancement is crucial to improving our quality of life.
