Electronic wastes are superfluous, obsolete, damaged, or abandoned electrical or electronic devices, sometimes known as "e-waste," "e-scrap," or "Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment," or "WEEE." Any component that is dropped, disposed of, or discarded rather than repurposed is considered electronic "waste," which includes leftovers from reuse and recycling activities. Because a wide range of surplus electronics (good, recyclable, and non-recyclable) are delivered on a daily basis, some public policy activists refer to all surplus electronics as "e-waste."
In a narrower sense, end-of-life information and telecommunications equipment, as well as consumer products, are sometimes referred to as e-waste. WEEE, on the other hand, is a subset of electronic waste (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment).
According to the OECD (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development), any equipment that uses an electric power source that has reached its end-of-life falls under WEEE. All non-functional electrical appliances are categorised as e-waste, and the words WEEE and e-waste are synonymous.
With an anticipated yearly growth rate of 16-28 percent, WEEE has been identified as one of the fastest increasing trash sources. Within each location, a complex set of heterogeneous secondary wastes forms. Despite the fact that treatment requirements are diverse, there are numerous commonalities among the sources from each industry. The nature of electronic wastes, on the other hand, differs widely between industries, and treatment protocols designed for one cannot simply be applied to another.
WEEE components and materials can currently be retrieved in a number of methods. Sorting/disassembly, size reduction, and separation are the most essential features of these systems. The first phase is almost entirely completed through physical participation. Although this is expensive, most experts anticipate it will be used eternally, at least in the medium term. The second phase entails a variety of more complex impaction and shredding methods. Although they may look simple at first appearance, the procedures in Step 2 can result in significant material recovery when paired with the numerous and rather complex separation methods in Step 3.
Due to an alarming increase in E-waste volumes as a result of the enormous expansion in use of electrical and electronic equipment, manufacturers, distributors, and retailers are being compelled to explore new business models (EEE). As a result, manufacturers are working on producing and promoting circular electronics, or the utilisation of recycled and refurbished electrical and electronic devices. Governments also play a key role in appropriately and efficiently treating E-waste by establishing legislation such as expanded producer responsibility (EPR). To replace old methods of handling (manual), sorting, burning, and incineration of E-waste, advanced technologies such as automation, robots, and the Industrial Internet of Things must be deployed (IIoT).
The global WEEE recycling market is expected to be valued $3,854.5 million in 2020, up 3.7 percent from the previous year. During the year, a rise in environmental consciousness and commitment from leading technology businesses and electronic manufacturers to use sustainable manufacturing and supply chain practises boosted the expansion of recyclers. Over the next five years, companies across a number of EEE product sectors are expected to adopt circular electronics as part of their long-term vision and strategy. The global e-waste management market was worth $49,880 million in 2020, and is predicted to increase at a 14.3% CAGR from 2021 to 2028, reaching $143,870 million by 2028.
The rising demand for rare metals, coupled with their rarity, has resulted in a sharp increase in their price. Metals like these must be recovered from e-waste and used in a different manner. One million mobile phones, for example, can yield 250 kilogrammes of silver, 24 kilogrammes of gold, and nine tonnes of copper in e-waste. This also aids manufacturers in developing lower-cost electrical devices and gaining a cost advantage over their competitors. In both developing and developed countries, it is one of the fastest-growing waste streams.
Electrical, electrical, and consumer electronic devices have shorter lifespan, resulting in a significant amount of E-Waste, which is growing at an exponential rate every year. The growing urge to upgrade to the most up-to-date technology is propelling the E-Waste industry's growth. The drive to embrace more technologically advanced equipment leads to the generation of millions of tonnes of E-Waste in various regions of the globe.
Many government agencies throughout the world are engaging in E-Waste management initiatives in order to reduce the amount of E-Waste generated. Participants in the market are taking initiatives to recycle E-Waste in order to reduce pollution and the threats it poses to the environment. In June 2014, Dell, a well-known computer manufacturer, unveiled its first PC made from recycled electronics polymers.
Industry Major Market Players:
· Sims Recycling Solutions
· Eletronic Recyclers International
· Kuusakoski
· Umicore
· Waste Management
· Gem
· Stena Metall Group
· GEEP
· Dongjiang
· Electrocycling
· Cimelia
· Veolia
· Enviro-Hub Holdings
· E-Parisaraa
· environCom
