UN: $19bn 'tsunami' of e-waste must be tackled

Will Nichols
clock •

As much as 90 per cent of world's electronic waste is being illegally traded or dumped, UN Environment Programme warns

Up to 90 per cent of the world's electronic waste, worth nearly $19bn, is illegally traded or dumped each year, according to the UN Environment Programme (UNEP). Computers and smart phones are among...

To continue reading this article...

Join BusinessGreen

In just a few clicks you can start your free BusinessGreen Lite membership for 12 months, providing you access to:

  • Three complimentary articles per month covering the latest real-time news, analysis, and opinion from Europe’s leading source of information on the Green economy and business
  • Receive important and breaking news stories via our daily news alert
  • Our weekly newsletter with the best of the week’s green business news and analysis

Join now

 

Already a BusinessGreen member?

Login

Will Nichols
Author spotlight

Will Nichols

View profile
More from Will Nichols

Intelligent Energy hails 'transformational' £1.2bn India fuel cell deal

The end of the beginning...

More on Waste

Europe's e‑waste is a valuable resource - let's not throw it away
Waste

Europe's e‑waste is a valuable resource - let's not throw it away

Nils Pauliks, Leiden University, The Conversation
clock 17 September 2026 • 4 min read
Pressure mounts on government to provide 'clear sense of direction' for circular economy
Waste

Pressure mounts on government to provide 'clear sense of direction' for circular economy

Waste industry professionals have called on the government to urgently provide a clearer, long-term strategy as they continue to wait for long-delayed Circular Economy Growth Plan

Michael Holder
Michael Holder
clock 14 September 2026 • 4 min read
Mondelez cuts around 2,200 tonnes of plastic a year from biscuit packaging
Waste

Mondelez cuts around 2,200 tonnes of plastic a year from biscuit packaging

Rigid plastic trays used to package more than 115 products, including Cadbury Crunchy Melts and Chocolate Chip Cookies, replaced with FSC-certified paper alternative

Stuart Stone
Stuart Stone
clock 08 September 2026 • 3 min read