Contents
- Electronic waste generation statistics: global totals and growth
- Electronic waste generation statistics by world region
- Electronic waste generation statistics: country totals and per-capita levels
- Electronic waste generation statistics for Europe and its national spread
- Electronic waste generation statistics: generated e-waste by equipment category
- Electronic waste generation statistics: regional collection, recycling, and data limits
- Sources
Electronic waste generation statistics: global totals and growth
The world generated 62 million tonnes of electronic waste in 2022, a record total reported by the United Nations’ International Telecommunication Union (ITU). The figure covers global e-waste generated over that year. It is a historical measurement, not a current annual total. Source: ITU, Electronic waste rising five times faster than documented e-waste recycling: UN
Global generation increased by 82% between 2010 and 2022. The same 2024 release described annual generation as rising by 2.6 million tonnes and said the total was on track to reach 82 million tonnes by 2030. That 2030 figure is a projection reported in 2024, not an observed outcome. The annual increase is a trend statement, not a separate estimate of total waste generated in a particular year. Source: ITU, Electronic waste rising five times faster than documented e-waste recycling: UN
| Global measure | Reported value | Scope |
|---|---|---|
| E-waste generated | 62 million tonnes | 2022 |
| Increase in generation | 82% | 2010–2022 |
| Annual rise described in the release | 2.6 million tonnes | Annual trend statement in 2024 release |
| Projected generation | 82 million tonnes | By 2030; projection reported in 2024 |
The material estimate for the e-waste generated in 2022 puts its metal content at 31 million tonnes. The same accounting identifies 17 million tonnes of plastics and 14 million tonnes of other materials, including minerals, glass, and composite materials. These are estimated material contents within the 2022 waste stream, not additional amounts of e-waste. Source: ITU, Electronic waste rising five times faster than documented e-waste recycling: UN
Electronic waste generation statistics by world region
Asia generated 30 billion kg of e-waste in 2022, while Europe generated 13 billion kg and Africa generated 3.5 billion kg. These regional totals use kilograms, as presented in the Global E-waste Monitor. A separate 2024 ITU release describes Asian countries as generating about 30 million tonnes, or about 50% of global generation, in 2022. That is the same broad regional total expressed in tonnes and as an approximate share, rather than a second independent measurement. Source: ITU, The Global E-waste Monitor 2024; Source: ITU, Electronic waste rising five times faster than documented e-waste recycling: UN
Per-capita figures add a different comparison: the amount generated relative to population. In 2022, Europe had the highest reported regional level at 17.6 kg per person. Oceania generated 16.1 kg per person, and the Americas generated 14.1 kg per person. These are regional per-capita measures, not regional mass totals. The figures available here do not provide a complete per-capita series for every world region. Source: ITU, The Global E-waste Monitor 2024
| Region | E-waste generated in 2022 | Per-capita generation in 2022 |
|---|---|---|
| Asia | 30 billion kg | — |
| Africa | 3.5 billion kg | — |
| Europe | 13 billion kg | 17.6 kg |
| Oceania | — | 16.1 kg |
| Americas | — | 14.1 kg |
Source: ITU, The Global E-waste Monitor 2024, regional profiles and Figure 7. Dashes indicate that the selected figures do not give that measure for the region.
Electronic waste generation statistics: country totals and per-capita levels
Country totals and per-capita figures describe different aspects of generation. A country with a larger total does not necessarily have the highest generation per person. In the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) report’s 2022 comparison, the Russian Federation had the region’s highest per-capita generation at 13.2 kg per person per year. The CIS regional average was 10.3 kg per person per year. Kyrgyzstan was reported at 2.2 kg and Tajikistan at 1.2 kg per person per year. Source: ITU, Measuring digital development: State of digital development and trends in the CIS region
For country mass totals, the Russian Federation generated 1.9 billion kg in 2022. Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan generated 26 million kg combined. These are country or combined-country totals, unlike the per-capita values above. Source: ITU, Measuring digital development: State of digital development and trends in the CIS region
| CIS measure | Reported 2022 value | Measure type |
|---|---|---|
| Russian Federation | 1.9 billion kg | Country total |
| Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan combined | 26 million kg | Combined country total |
| Russian Federation | 13.2 kg per person per year | Per-capita generation |
| CIS regional average | 10.3 kg per person per year | Per-capita generation |
| Kyrgyzstan | 2.2 kg per person per year | Per-capita generation |
| Tajikistan | 1.2 kg per person per year | Per-capita generation |
Electronic waste generation statistics for Europe and its national spread
The European regional profile reported 13 billion kg generated in 2022. Selected country figures show variation within that regional total: Germany generated 1.8 billion kg, France 1.4 billion kg, Poland 520 million kg, and Sweden 220 million kg. Country values are presented at rounded precision in the Monitor’s regional summaries. Source: ITU, The Global E-waste Monitor 2024, Europe profile
| Country | E-waste generated in 2022 |
|---|---|
| Germany | 1.8 billion kg |
| France | 1.4 billion kg |
| Poland | 520 million kg |
| Sweden | 220 million kg |
Source for all table entries: ITU, The Global E-waste Monitor 2024, Europe profile
The regional and national figures should be read at their stated precision. The supplied country observations cover selected European countries, not every country, and do not support a complete ranking or a calculation of national shares. The CIS figures above come from a report using its defined nine-country regional scope; they are not interchangeable with the Europe profile’s country groupings. Source: ITU, The Global E-waste Monitor 2024; Source: ITU, Measuring digital development: State of digital development and trends in the CIS region
Electronic waste generation statistics: generated e-waste by equipment category
Small devices made up 20.4 million tonnes, or 33% of global e-waste in 2022. The reported recycling measure for this category was 12%. Small IT and telecommunication equipment accounted for 4.6 million tonnes, with a documented collection and recycling rate of 22%. These category rates describe documented management, while the tonnage figures describe generation. Source: ITU, Electronic waste rising five times faster than documented e-waste recycling: UN
Retired photovoltaic panels amounted to 600,000 tonnes in 2022. The 2024 release gave an expected mass of 2.4 million tonnes in 2030, described as 4 times the 2022 figure. The 2030 value is an expectation reported in 2024, not a measured future total. Source: ITU, Electronic waste rising five times faster than documented e-waste recycling: UN
| Equipment measure | Reported value | Period and scope |
|---|---|---|
| Small devices | 20.4 million tonnes; 33% | Global e-waste, 2022 |
| Small devices recycling rate | 12% | Global category measure, 2022 |
| Small IT and telecommunication equipment | 4.6 million tonnes | Global e-waste, 2022 |
| Small IT and telecommunication documented collection and recycling rate | 22% | Global category measure, 2022 |
| Retired photovoltaic panels | 600,000 tonnes | Global estimate, 2022 |
| Expected retired photovoltaic panels | 2.4 million tonnes | Global expectation for 2030, reported in 2024 |
Electronic waste generation statistics: regional collection, recycling, and data limits
In 2022, 22.3% of global e-waste mass was documented as properly collected and recycled. The release also estimated that about 14 million tonnes were trashed, mostly landfilled. These are management measures, not additional generation totals. “Documented” is central to interpreting the recycling figure: it describes waste with recorded formal collection and recycling, not every possible waste route. Source: ITU, Electronic waste rising five times faster than documented e-waste recycling: UN
Regional collection and recycling measures varied. Europe’s documented formal collection and recycling rate was 42.8% in 2022. African countries formally recycled less than 1% of their e-waste. In the CIS region, 6.5%—164.3 million kg—of generated e-waste was documented as properly collected and recycled. The CIS report also put the region’s generation at approximately 2.5 billion kg, or around 4.1% of the global total, and said the Russian Federation accounted for more than 75% of CIS generation. Those shares describe the same regional and country totals; they are not further generation observations. Source: ITU, Electronic waste rising five times faster than documented e-waste recycling: UN; Source: ITU, Measuring digital development: State of digital development and trends in the CIS region
The Monitor’s regional totals are rounded summaries, so their displayed precision should be retained rather than treated as exact underlying values. Per-capita measures, mass totals, and documented collection rates use different denominators and should not be substituted for one another. The figures here provide selected regional, country, and equipment observations; they do not constitute a complete country-by-country table or a full set of regional management rates. Source: ITU, The Global E-waste Monitor 2024; Source: ITU, Measuring digital development: State of digital development and trends in the CIS region