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What is E-waste?

Electronic waste, or e-waste, refers to all items of electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) and its parts that have been discarded by its owner as waste without the intent of re-use. E-waste is also referred to as WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment), electronic waste or e-scrap in different regions and under different circumstances in the world. It includes a wide range of products – almost any household or business item with circuitry or electrical components with power or battery supply. E-waste is one of the fastest growing and most complex waste streams in the world, affecting both human health and the environment, and proliferating a loss of valuable raw materials. Read more.

Importance of data & statistics

• Improves comparability between countries. • Serves as a basis for e-waste statistics, e-waste indicators and contribute to the SDGs. • Allows monitoring of the quantities and flows of e-waste which is essential for evaluating developments over time, and to set and assess targets towards a sustainable society and circular economy, and to identify best practices for policy.

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National E-waste Monitor 2023 – Kazakhstan

The NATIONAL E-WASTE MONITOR 2023 – KAZAKHSTAN provides an assessment of statistics, legislation, and management infrastructure of e-waste in Kazakhstan.

With a projected population of 24...

The Regional E-waste Monitor for the Arab States 2021

The Regional E-waste Monitor for the Arab States 2021 provides an assessment of statistics, legislation, and management infrastructure of e-waste in Algeria, Bahrain, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, I...

Regional E-waste Monitor for the CIS + Georgia 2021

The Regional E-waste Monitor for the CIS + Georgia 2021 provides an assessment of statistics, legislation, and management infrastructure of e-waste in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kaza...

EU-28, Switzerland, Norway and Iceland collect and report 55% of WEEE

UNITAR/United Nations University present an in-depth review on the WEEE Collection Rates in the EU-28, Switzerland, Norway and Iceland, which shows that the implementation mechanisms of WEEE leg...

The Dutch WEEE Flows 2020: What happened between 2010 and 2018?

“The Dutch WEEE Flows 2020: What happened between 2010 and 2018?” quantifies the 2018 Dutch WEEE Flows in 2018 manner comparable to the Dutch WEEE Flows study of 2010. This report presents the E...

Monitoring Exports of used Electrical and Electronic Equipment (EEE) from the Netherlands

An integrated method for monitoring exports for reuse

Today (UNU/UNITAR)  SCYCLE published a report summarizing a new integrated method for monitoring the export of used electric...

Surge in Global E-waste, up 21 per cent in 5 years

The third edition of The Global E-Waste Monitor 2020 launched today by the Global E-waste Statistics Partnership (GESP), provides comprehensive insight to address the global e-waste challenge. A...

Global E-waste Monitor wins European Advanced SDG Award 2018

For its excellence in the implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the NEW WAYS Center for Sustainable Development Vienna/Austria awarded the Global E-waste Monitor the Eur...

An end to electronic waste: United Nations organizations highlight their commitment

On Wednesday 21st March 2018, organizations from the United Nations system, most active in addressing the global e-waste challenge, signed a Letter of Intent paving the way for coordination and ...