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

What hope now for the Global Plastics Treaty?
Waste

What hope now for the Global Plastics Treaty?

Deadlock at the latest round of talks was all but inevitable, but there are routes forward for governments and businesses that want to tackle the scourge of plastic pollution

James Murray
James Murray
clock 15 August 2025 • 7 min read
Global Plastics Treaty: Talks collapse without deal to end plastic pollution crisis
Waste

Global Plastics Treaty: Talks collapse without deal to end plastic pollution crisis

Geneva talks fail to deliver promised treaty to tackle global plastic pollution, as draft text angers both sides of deadlocked negotiations

Stuart Stone
Stuart Stone
clock 15 August 2025 • 7 min read
Study: 'Outrage' at plastic pollution transcends UK's political divisions
Waste

Study: 'Outrage' at plastic pollution transcends UK's political divisions

General public overwhelmingly back policies to reduce waste, with two thirds claiming they would change habits to end 'throwaway culture'

Stuart Stone
Stuart Stone
clock 13 August 2025 • 3 min read