E-waste recycling needs attention now more than ever, due to the ever-increasing amount of electronics that are disposed of every year – products with lifespans that grow shorter and shorter.
Russ Ernst, chief technology officer at Blancco Technology Group, said the e-waste industry has evolved and grown in conjunction with the global e-waste crisis. According to the UN’s 2024 Global E-waste Monitor, a record 62 billion kg of e-waste was produced in 2022 with e-waste generation outpacing formal recycling by five times.
“The awareness of the problems e-waste causes, both to the environment and the harm it causes to workers handling these hazardous materials in developing nations, has received widespread attention,” Ernst said. “As a result, consumers and businesses are becoming more attuned to the importance of either recycling e-waste or reusing old IT assets.”
In fact, many corporations now have e-waste recycling programs, and consumers have access to more convenient recycling options through retail “take back” programs and collection events. The awareness has also resulted in more countries establishing standards or regulations (81 had e-waste legislation in 2023 according to the UN) that govern the recycling and disposal of e-waste, as well as its collection, treatment standards, and prohibition of specific hazardous substances in electronics.
Ernst noted that another positive development in the e-waste recycling arena is the rise of certified e-waste recyclers who adhere to strict environmental and ethical standards. Certifications such R2 (Responsible Recycling) ensure that recyclers responsibly manage e-waste and protect worker safety.
According to Adam Shine, president at SunnKing, an electronics recycler, the e-waste recycling industry is continuously evolving, with everything in today’s fast-paced world being interconnected and electronic.
“People now own multiple devices such as computers, laptops, printers, cell phones, gaming consoles and earbuds, which has worsened the already low recycling rates in the U.S.,” Shine said. “Many people are uncertain about how to dispose of these items, worry about the data they contain, and therefore tend to hold onto them. We, as an industry, are working to enhance public awareness and provide more convenient recycling options.”
In addition to the variety of new materials, Shine noted that the e-waste industry is witnessing a resurgence with advanced technologies leading to cleaner material streams. New international regulations are changing the movement of certain grades of materials across borders, making global trade more challenging.
“By producing cleaner material streams, we can create new domestic and international recycling opportunities,” Shine said.
Christophe Girardier, chief executive officer and co-founder of Glimpact, a sustainability platform that informs C-suite executives of brand’s full environmental impact, said that in recent years, this sector has not really evolved, which is alarming given that the share of recycled e-waste is low and the quantity of this waste is reaching new heights.
“This is largely because the issue of e-waste has not been taken seriously, which is evident by the growing quantity of electronics destined to be recycled and the lack of significant innovation in the e-waste recycling process itself,” Girardier said.
According to the UN institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), a record 62 million tons (Mt) of e-waste was produced in the year 2022 alone. This is enough e-waste to fill 1.55 million 40-ton trucks, roughly enough trucks to form a bumper-to bumper line encircling the equator. This is up 82 percent from 2010, and is only expected to rise, with 82 million tons of e-waste projected to be produced in the year 2030 if we continue at our current pace.
“This is a direct result of the accelerating production rates of electronic devices, since new devices produced inevitably end up as e-waste,” Girardier said. A large problem is that players, mostly governments and organizations, do not dispose of their e-waste properly and above all have not set up credible recycling channels on an industrial scale. Furthermore, the majority of the e-waste sent for recycling is not processed to the point where it can be reclaimed.
“The good news is that recycling electronic devices consumes less energy and causes less harm to the planet than mining more of these metals, which means that this is a space worth advancing for the sake of the planet and for those in the business of manufacturing electronics,” Girardier said.
Continuous Concerns
Concerns within the e-waste industry vary from region to region, but overall, Ernst said one top concern is the lack of cohesive and comprehensive regulations on e-waste, which leads to profiteers that use improper disposal practices that harm the environment and people’s health.
“In many developing countries, informal recycling operations often employ unsafe practices, such as burning electronic components to extract valuable metals, which releases toxins into the air, soil, and water,” Ernst said. “Separating materials from these toxic substances takes specialized technology, which is very costly.”
Another concern is the rapid advancement of technologies, such as AI, which is expected to drive an increased demand for data centers because AI applications generate and require vast amounts of data for training machine learning models. As Ernst explained, this data needs to be stored in secure and reliable environments, which typically means data centers equipped with high-capacity storage systems.
“Unfortunately, data center operators physically destroy nearly all of their drives, instead of using secure software based data sanitization, which translates to tons of scrap metal,” Ernst said.
AI may also lead companies to shorten their IT asset refresh cycle. For example, Microsoft will end Windows 10 support on October 15, 2025, and users will need to upgrade to Windows 11 if they haven’t already. Windows 11 requirements are a little bit more stringent than Windows 10 so PCs even five or six years old may not be compatible.
“With the addition of ChatGPT and other AI assistants built into Windows 11, there is less flexibility with hardware configurations and system requirements. Companies may need to update their entire IT asset fleet, so there’s a good chance many of the old devices will end up in landfills,” Ernst said.
One of the biggest challenges in the e-waste industry that Ernst said must be addressed is the outdated notion that electronics must be shredded and destroyed for data security purposes.
“This is a belief that has persisted over time, and is not only less effective, but also exacerbates the e-waste crisis,” Ernst said. “There’s no need to destroy electronics for security purposes when an ITAD partner can use software-based, certified data sanitization and ready each device for the circular economy.”
Shine noted that the biggest concern the industry is facing at present is the amount of lithium batteries contained in today’s electronics. These batteries make it labor intensive to recycle, requiring hand dismantling to remove the battery prior to shredding, otherwise may result with a fire.
“Consider items like earbuds – you have a battery in each along with a battery in the case with very little electronics to recover. The smaller items that have non-removable batteries glued into the devices are creating challenges and shifting economics from a revenue neutral scenario to a cost,” Shine said.
While there is equipment that can identify batteries in devices, this technology can also identify the type of battery involved.
“There are many different battery compositions and each one requires different handling and packaging,” Shine said. “Some can provide value while others are a cost. Newer technologies like robotics and AI are being looked at to make the process of identifying and removing batteries easier.”
Embracing Innovations
There are several innovations that are helping to streamline the electronics recycling industry and curb the e-waste crisis. These innovations include automated sorting technologies, such as optical sorting and robotic systems that can more efficiently separate different types of materials in e-waste, along with modernized chemical processes for increasing the efficiency of resource recovery while reducing environmental impact. AI and machine learning algorithms are also being applied to optimize various aspects of e-waste recycling operations.
“This includes predictive maintenance of recycling equipment, improving sorting accuracy, and identifying valuable components in e-waste streams more effectively,” Ernst said. “Blockchain is one technology that is being explored to improve traceability and transparency in the e-waste recycling process.”
Furthermore, manufacturers are increasingly adopting Design for Disassembly (DfD) principles to ensure that products are easier to dismantle, separate, and recycle at their end-of-life stage. As Ernst explained, these services often include collection, sorting, dismantling, and recycling of electronic devices, making it easier for businesses to comply with regulations and manage their e-waste responsibly.
In addition, mobile recycling units or “mini-plants” are popping up to bring recycling capabilities closer to where e-waste is generated. According to Ernst, some companies are even offering recycling-as-a-service models where businesses can subscribe to comprehensive e-waste recycling solutions.
Shine also pointed out that AI and robotics are being considered for various applications in the e-waste industry – not only for identifying and removing batteries but also determining ways to process material that is less labor intensive and can create cleaner streams of end commodities.
“Furthermore, robotics can be used for identifying electronics for refurbishing and resale of electronics, extending the life of electronics is the best form of recycling,” Shine said.
Continued investment in research and development, along with collaboration between industry stakeholders and governments, will be essential to further advance these innovations and address the challenges facing the industry.
While the world will continue to face rapid growth in e-waste, complex material compositions, and informal recycling practices, we will also see increasing consumer demand for more sustainable best practices and transparency from businesses. Ernst believes this demand will help drive regulatory changes as governments around the world strengthen regulations related to e-waste management.
“The ability to curb the growth of e-waste depends on these and a variety of other factors, but the adoption of technologies and techniques that increase efficiency and effectiveness of processes will play a major role in curbing e-waste generation,” Ernst said. “I’m encouraged by the evolution in the e-waste recycling industry and especially by the growing emphasis on transitioning towards a circular economy approach, where products and materials are reused, refurbished or recycled to minimize waste and resource consumption. This shift has also put pressure on manufacturers to design products with recyclability, versus planned obsolescence, in mind.”
Girardier agreed that successful e-waste recycling starts with manufacturing. As he explained, separating the various metal and non-metal components within electronic devices while ensuring toxic materials are properly isolated, is a difficult and complex process.
“Design for recyclability would allow for a more streamlined disassembly, and less intermingling between different materials, helping to ensure that once the electronics make it to the recycling plant, they are safely and efficiently processed,” Girardier said.
One way this can be achieved is by reducing the amount of materials and hazardous materials present in a product. Another strategy is ensuring that products are able to be disassembled rather than entangling various materials, or having components that are hermetically sealed.
“Designing for repairability would encourage consumers to keep their electronics for longer, decreasing the currently rapid turnover of electronics from one generation to the next,” Girardier said. “Innovation in eco-conception and remanufacturing is the key to success for circular electronics but globally speaking, no one has innovated in this space.”
Shine also believes the industry is going to continue expanding rapidly. “More products will make their way to electronics recyclers including solar panels, portions of electric vehicles that house data and many other various electronics,” Shine said. “I believe that technology will continue to lead us to more material, more need for recycling and more challenges. However, that same technology will lead to better, faster and safer ways to process that material.”
At a regulatory level, e-waste recycling requirements and procedures need universal standards to eliminate confusion and provide clarity. Girardier suggested that there must be clear incentives for the manufacture of new products with re-used or recycled materials and disincentives for improper e-waste disposal.
“As it stands, the use of recycled materials can be more expensive that the virgin alternative. If manufacturers are expected to use recycled or reclaimed material, it must be more affordable,” Girardier said. “Additionally, e-waste recycling must be accessible to consumers and industry alike. It must be incentivized, and there must be clear information distinguishing what is recyclable and what isn’t. With e-waste regulation in place, governments and institutions must mandate that products are repairable and designed for recycling and remanufacturing.”