SUSTAINABLITY From e-waste to a circular electronics economy – Facts & figures for a sustainable future

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With e-waste volumes increasing, a shift to a circular electronics economy is crucial for sustainability and economic growth. The refurbishing sector presents a lucrative opportunity, with potential to significantly reduce environmental impact while meeting escalating electronics demand. Embracing circular models offers businesses strategic advantages in efficiency and cost.

To tackle the mounting e-waste challenge and harness economic opportunities, industries must pivot towards sustainable practices by enhancing reuse, refurbishment, and recycling efforts.

The mandate for accelerated action

Globally, only about 12 % of electronic products are reused or refurbished before disposal, and less than 35 % of total e-waste is formally collected for recycling (Baldé et al., 2024). In 2022, we generated 62 Mt of e-waste—equivalent to 1,000 laptops discarded every second—and projections suggest 82 Mt by 2030 and over 110 Mt by 2040 if trends persist (UNEP, 2024).

These forecasts do not yet fully account for the impact of end-of-life electric vehicles (EVs). Millions of EV batteries, power inverters, and onboard electronics will reach end-of-life in the next two decades. BloombergNEF estimates EV sales will exceed 60 % of new car sales by 2040, potentially adding millions of tonnes of e-waste annually (BNEF, 2024).

Currently, the re-use of circular electronics is minimal—most discarded products are recycled at best, or lost entirely to uncontrolled disposal. This is both a sustainability risk and a missed business opportunity.

The opportunity for industry

Circular electronics represent a multi-billion-dollar growth market. OECD (2023) projects the refurbished electronics sector alone could exceed US $150 billion by 2030.

Opportunities include:

• Startups: component harvesting, AI diagnostics for refurbishment, design-for-disassembly consulting.

• OEMs: Apple’s “Daisy” robot recovers rare earths; Dell designs modular laptops for recyclability; EV fleet operators deploy second-life battery packs.

• Services: subscription electronics, industrial electronics redeployment.

• Cross-industry alliances: Large new companies are likely to emerge from cooperation between industries not historically linked—e.g., automotive and renewable energy firms pooling battery recovery technologies, or IT and construction companies developing smart-building systems from refurbished IoT electronics. As reported in circular economy case studies, such cross-sector ventures often accelerate scaling and open entirely new markets by combining expertise, infrastructure, and customer bases.

Early adopters will benefit from premium brand positioning and regulatory compliance advantages as sustainability becomes a key purchase criterion.

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E-waste growth by region, durability gaps & Basel loopholes

Electronics often contain components with lifespans far longer than the product they’re built into. Industrial capacitors can last 20 years, but the devices housing them are often replaced after 3–5 years due to obsolescence, software incompatibility, or consumer trends (OECD, 2023).

EVs are a notable case: in China, ride-hailing electric cars are retired after ~2 years due to fleet turnover, while private EVs in the EU last 10+ years (IEA, 2023).

Sources: OECD (2023); IEA (2023); UNEP (2024)

Sources: Baldé et al. (2024); UNEP (2024); BAN (2024)

Basel loophole abuse

Up to 60–80 % of “used electronics” imports to West Africa are non-functional, destined for dumps or informal recycling (BAN, 2024).

Beyond informal recycling – the full spectrum of “not recycled”

When electronics are not recycled in formal facilities, they follow four main pathways:

• Uncontrolled household trash – Mixed with general waste, leading to incineration or landfill without hazardous waste controls.

• Landfills – Heavy metals and flame retardants leach into soil and groundwater.

• Bulk dumping – Abandoned in open spaces and often burned to reduce volume.

• Stockpiling – Hoarded in homes and offices, delaying proper treatment.

Informal recycling involves unsafe recovery methods—burning wires, acid leaching PCBs—without protective equipment or pollution controls.

Evidence of Impact:

• Health: WHO (2023) found 80 % of children in e-waste hotspots have unsafe blood lead levels.

• Environment: UNEP (2024) reports 50 % crop yield loss near processing areas in Ghana due to soil contamination.

• Biodiversity: Mercury and cadmium from e-waste enter aquatic food chains, reducing fish stocks and harming predators (Nature, 2023).

The power of Gen Z+ & Alpha – Consumer leverage

By 2040, Gen Z and Gen Alpha will control US $60 trillion in income (WEF, 2024) and are willing to pay a 10–20 % premium for sustainable electronics (OECD, 2023).

Sources: WEF (2024); GreenBiz (2024); The Guardian (2025)

Power demand to 2040 – AI, cloud, and the electronics multiplier

Global electricity demand will rise 62 % by 2040 (IEA, 2023), with electronics-related sectors driving the majority:

• AI & Cloud Computing – Data centers to consume 8 % of global electricity by 2040.

• E-Mobility Infrastructure – EV chargers, grid electronics, battery management systems.

• Urbanization – 2.5 billion more city dwellers.

• Climate Adaptation – Cooling, desalination, smart water systems.

Sources: IEA (2023); OECD (2023); BNEF (2024)

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The business case for circular electronics

Meeting this growing electronics demand with “written-off” assets and re-used electronics rather than producing entirely new OEM hardware offers a decisive cost advantage. Refurbishment and component harvesting typically cost 30–50 % less than manufacturing from virgin materials, while also reducing lead times and material supply risks (OECD, 2023; UNEP, 2024).

By 2040, companies embracing circular models can achieve higher margins than traditional OEMs locked into resource-intensive production cycles. This profitability—paired with reduced environmental impact—positions the circular electronics economy as not only an ecological necessity but a superior path to long-term prosperity.

References

• Baldé, C.P., et al. (2024) The Global E-Waste Monitor 2024. UNEP, Geneva.

• BAN (2024) Basel Loopholes and E-Waste Flows to Africa. Basel Action Network, Seattle.

• BloombergNEF (2024) Electric Vehicle Outlook 2024. BloombergNEF, London.

• GreenBiz (2024) France’s Repairability Index and Circular Policy. GreenBiz Group.

• IEA (2023) World Energy Outlook 2023. International Energy Agency, Paris.

• Nature (2023) Ecotoxicology of Informal E-Waste Processing. Springer Nature, London.

• OECD (2023) Circular Electronics and Resource Efficiency. OECD Publishing, Paris.

• The Guardian (2025) Scrap VAT on Refurbished Electronics. Guardian Media Group, London.

• TIME (2022) Finland’s Path to End Waste by 2050. Time USA LLC.

• UNEP (2024) E-Waste Impacts on Environment and Health. United Nations Environment Programme.

• UN (2024) World Urbanization Prospects 2024. United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs.

• WEF (2024) Gen Z and the Circular Economy. World Economic Forum, Geneva.

• WHO (2023) Children and Digital Dumpsites. World Health Organization, Geneva.

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