According to new research based on data gathered by the UN, governments and science organisations, the global volume of electronic waste will weigh almost as much as 200 Empire State Buildings by 2017.
The partnership between these organisations in finding out this data is entitled ‘Solving the E-Waste problem (StEP) Initiative.
The StEP Initiative have created a map of the world’s e-waste that they have published online. It shows data from 184 countries, with estimated amounts of electric equipment that is sold and how much waste it then generates.
The e-waste can include anything from TVs, to computers, phones or anything that required a battery or power cord.
The aim of the initiative is to help governments and businesses to better manage their e-waste.
According to their 2017 predictions, the world will produce approximately 33% more e-waste which is the equivalent of 72 million tons. China and the US are the two biggest producers of e-waste, with 12.2 million tons and 11 million tons respectively.
With the amount of e-waste looking set to rise dramatically, companies need to start looking at ways to ensure that they are reducing it. Recycling and reusing products are the obvious options, but long term solutions could include investing in long-lasting technology that won’t need a replacement after a few years. It might be time to start saving up for tech investments rather than seeing these products as disposable.
