The way in which we produce, consume, and dispose of e-waste is unsustainable. Because of the slow adoption of collection and recycling, externalities –such as the consumption of resources, the emission of greenhouse gases, and the release of toxic substances during informal recycling
procedures– illustrate the problem to remain within sustainable limits.
Building on the Partnership on Measuring ICT for Development, the United Nations
University (UNU), the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), and the International
Solid Waste Association (ISWA), in close collaboration with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), have joined forces in the Global E-waste Statistics Partnership (GESP).
Monitoring the quantities and flows of e-waste is essential for evaluating developments
over time, and to set and assess targets towards a sustainable society and circular economy.
The Global E-waste Monitor 2020 introduces the wider public to the global e-waste
challenge, explains how the challenge currently fits into international efforts to reach
the SDGs, and discusses how to create a circular economy and sustainable societies.
