Pioneering the sustainable management of e-waste
WEEEsource™ is a digital platform that connects partners to trace the circulation and treatments of used electronic products across countries. The system monitors new life-cycles, records collection, generates statistics and guarantees sound waste management.
Connecting continents through digital technology
Towards Zero Waste uses digital technology to lever financial inclusion, transparency and accountability. It enhances knowledge sharing on mutually agreed terms and improves coordination among existing mechanisms.
The urgent need for a standard to fight “backyard recycling” of e-waste
The amount of e-waste is not the main problem. The problem is the mismanagement of e-waste at the end of the life-cycle.
50M*
metric tonnes of e-waste are produced every year around the world.
This is equivalent in weight to all the commercial aircraft ever built. E-waste contains a huge amount of plastics, certain valuable metals and significant amounts of hazardous chemicals. Most countries have no sustainable tools to fight this hazardous waste.
* United Nations Environment Programme
80%*
of e-waste is either thrown into landfills or informally recycled –
much of it by hand in developing countries, exposing workers to hazardous and carcinogenic substances such as mercury, lead and cadmium. E-waste in landfill contaminates soil and groundwater, putting food supply systems and water sources at risk.
* United Nations Environment Programme
Usable life-enhancing products are being treated like waste
Products that can improve quality of life for others is being discarded long before their real end-of-life.
15-30%*
of all the electronics recycled in Sweden is still functional products.
This is equivalent to almost 50 million working washing machines per year in Europe. People discard their old electronics long before they need to. The common practice of recycling is not the best environmental option for these products. They should be re-used.
* Research Institutes Sweden
>90%*
of users in Africa would be willing to own used or refurbished electronics.
Majority of consumers consider European second-hand electronics to be of better quality than new electronics from other continents. This have created a huge uncontrolled black market for trading of used electronics.
* SDGs Cameroon
The solution: WEEEsource™
A multi-stakeholder platform to extend the WEEE directives and promote the sustainable circulation and final treatments for used electronics. The partner-based system shares knowledge, technology and deliver achievements towards all of the Sustainable Development Goals in all countries, in particular developing countries.
True circularity never ends
Old electronics can live much longer and get more life-cycles by being reused or repaired. Many products and components still have decades of use left even after they are replaced with newer and more efficient products.
To achieve true circularity we must induce a change in behavior on a global scale and encourage the continuous circulation to create a win-win situation across continents.
This type of circularity would greatly improve the quality of life for many people, help reduce the use of natural resources and the amount of waste.
