Environment & Energy
How much e-waste is generated every day?
The world produces about 70 million tonnes of e-waste a year, close to 2,220 kg every second. Phones, laptops, TVs, fridges: when discarded, all of it counts. That 2025 figure follows the growth path from 62 million tonnes in 2022 toward 82 million by 2030, and in 2022 only 22.3% of it was formally recycled. Most of it ends up in landfills, incinerators or informal dumps, taking lead, mercury, cadmium and around $62 billion in recoverable metals with it.
Roughly 2K kg every second.
Source: UN Global E-waste Monitor 2024 (ITU/UNITAR/UNEP); 2025 figure interpolated on UN's 2022→2030 linear trajectory toward 82 Mt.
Last checked: 18 October 2026
What ~70 million tonnes actually looks like
The 62 million tonnes of e-waste produced in 2022 weigh about as much as 11 Great Pyramids of Giza (roughly 5.75 million tonnes each).
Laid end-to-end, the 62 million tonnes of 2022 e-waste would fill about 1.55 million 40-tonne trucks, enough for a bumper-to-bumper line around the equator (ITU/UNITAR press release, March 2024).
The $62 billion in recoverable materials discarded annually in e-waste exceeds the annual GDP of countries such as Bolivia or Paraguay.
Every person on Earth generates about 7.8 kg of e-waste per year, the weight of three to four laptops.
E-waste generated vs. gold discarded in e-waste, today
A tonne of circuit boards from old smartphones yields roughly 200-400 grams of gold, at least 40 times more than a tonne of typical gold ore. Most of it is never extracted.
Global e-waste generation: 2010-2025
Global e-waste generation has grown by more than 80% since 2010 and reached a record 62 million tonnes in 2022, the latest year with complete UN data. On the UN's own 2022-to-2030 trajectory (growing ~2.5 Mt/year toward 82 Mt by 2030), an estimated ~70 million tonnes are being generated globally in 2025-2026, driven by shorter device lifespans, rising consumer electronics ownership, and inadequate collection infrastructure.
| Year | Rate (kg/s) | Annual (Mt) | Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 1K kg/s | 34 Mt | Tracking begins |
| 2014 | 1K kg/s | 42 Mt | +23% from 2010 |
| 2016 | 1K kg/s | 45 Mt | +7% from 2014 |
| 2019 | 2K kg/s | 54 Mt | +20% from 2016 |
| 2021 | 2K kg/s | 57 Mt | +7% |
| 2022 | 2K kg/s | 62 Mt | +8%; recycling stagnates at 22.3% |
| 2025 (est.) | 2K kg/s | 70 Mt | Interpolated on UN GEM 2024's 2022→2030 path toward 82 Mt |
| 2030 (forecast) | 3K kg/s | 82 Mt | Fastest-growing solid waste stream continues |
What this means for you
The average person replaces their smartphone every 2-3 years. That device, which contains gold, silver, copper, and rare earth elements, then enters the 62 million tonnes the world discards each year. Only 22% reaches a formal recycler.
The other 78% is landfilled, incinerated, or exported to informal recycling operations. Workers there dismantle electronics by hand, often in open-air fires, without protective equipment. Lead, mercury, and cadmium leach into soil and groundwater for decades afterward.
The simplest lever: use devices longer. When they do reach end of life, take them to a certified recycler, not a rubbish bin. In the EU, retailers must accept old electronics by law. In the US, the EPA's eStewards program lists certified options by location.
The e-waste crisis: key statistics
Only 22.3% of global e-waste is formally collected and recycled; the rest is largely incinerated or landfilled
E-waste generation grew 82% between 2010 and 2022, from 34 to 62 million tonnes
In 2022, $62 billion worth of recoverable materials (gold, silver, copper) were discarded in e-waste
E-waste generation is rising approximately 5 times faster than formal recycling capacity is growing
The e-waste generated in 2022 (62 Mt) weighs more than all commercial aircraft ever built
E-waste is projected to reach 82 million tonnes by 2030 (UN Global E-waste Monitor 2024)
A tonne of discarded circuit boards contains more gold than 40 tonnes of mined ore
The e-waste crisis: ~70 million tonnes of discarded technology in 2025
The world's fastest-growing waste stream
Electronic waste has grown from 34 million tonnes in 2010 to 62 million tonnes in 2022, an 82% increase in twelve years. The UN Global E-waste Monitor, now in its fourth edition (2024), identifies three key drivers: higher consumption rates of electrical and electronic equipment, shorter product lifecycles driven by planned obsolescence, and limited repair infrastructure. The average smartphone is replaced after just 2-3 years. The average laptop after 3-5 years. Each replacement generates approximately 1.5-2 kg of e-waste.
The recycling crisis
Despite the visible growth of recycling rhetoric, only 22.3% of 2022's e-waste was formally collected and processed, up modestly from 17.4% in 2019. The remaining 77.7% is largely incinerated in open fires (releasing toxic gases), dumped in landfills where heavy metals leach into groundwater, or processed by informal workers in developing countries without protective equipment. E-waste generation is growing five times faster than the formal recycling capacity.
A treasure mountain being buried
E-waste is not just pollution. It is a misallocated resource. The UN estimates that the 2022 e-waste stream contained about 2.1 million tonnes of copper and about 1,600 tonnes of precious metals (gold, palladium and silver together), with the gold alone valued at $15 billion. The metals in that e-waste were worth $91 billion in total, and $62 billion of recoverable resources went unaccounted for. One tonne of processed circuit boards contains roughly 200-300 g of gold, 40-60 times more than a tonne of typical gold ore (about 5 g/t). Urban mining (recovering metals from e-waste) is economically viable but requires industrial infrastructure and investment in collection.
Health and environmental impact
Informal e-waste processing, concentrated in parts of Ghana (Agbogbloshie), Nigeria, India, and Southeast Asia, exposes workers to lead, mercury, cadmium, and flame-retardant chemicals. Studies have found blood lead levels 5-10 times safe limits in children living near informal processing sites. Soil contamination, groundwater pollution, and atmospheric particulates affect entire communities. The UN Sustainable Development Goal target 12.5 calls for substantially reducing waste generation, e-waste is one of the most challenging components.
2030 outlook
The UN projects 82 million tonnes of e-waste by 2030. If recycling rates stay flat, that means ~64 million tonnes improperly disposed per year. Only if collection and recycling rates reach 60% would the economic benefits (>$38 billion annually) begin to outweigh disposal costs. The EU's Ecodesign Regulation, right-to-repair legislation in the US, and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes are the main policy tools targeting this trend.
Key moments in e-waste policy and scale
- 2010~34 million tonnes of e-waste generated globally; first systematic tracking begins
- 2014UN Global E-waste Monitor first published; 41.8 million tonnes in 2014; only 16% recycled
- 201644.7 million tonnes; UN monitors formally identify e-waste as world's fastest-growing waste stream
- 2017Global E-waste Monitor 2017 published; recycling rate stagnates at ~20%
- 2019Record 53.6 million tonnes, up 21% in 5 years; only 17.4% formally recycled (UN)
- 2022New record: 62 million tonnes; $62 billion in recoverable materials discarded; +82% since 2010
- 2024UN Global E-waste Monitor 4th edition; projects 82 Mt by 2030; recycling rate projected to fall to 20%
What industry reports found
| Year | Finding | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Global e-waste generation estimated at approximately 34 million tonnes | 34.0M tonnes | ITU / United Nations University (UNU) |
| 2014 | Global e-waste generation approximately 41.8 million tonnes | 41.8M tonnes | ITU / United Nations University (UNU) |
| 2016 | Global e-waste generation 44.7 million tonnes; only 20% formally collected; $55B in materials unrecovered | 44.7M tonnes | ITU / United Nations University (UNU) |
| 2019 | Record 53.6 million tonnes of e-waste generated, a 21% increase over 2014; only 17.4% formally recycled | 53.6M tonnes | ITU / UNU / ISWA |
| 2021 | 57.4 million tonnes of e-waste generated globally | 57.4M tonnes | ITU / UNITAR |
| 2022 | Record 62 million tonnes generated; only 22.3% formally recycled; $62B in recoverable materials; 82% increase from 2010 | 62.0M tonnes | ITU / UNITAR |
Frequently asked questions
- How much e-waste is generated per year?
- In 2022, the world generated 62 million tonnes of e-waste, according to the UN Global E-waste Monitor 2024. That is up from 53.6 million tonnes in 2019 and 34 million tonnes in 2010, an 82% increase in twelve years.
- What percentage of e-waste is recycled?
- Only 22.3% of global e-waste was formally collected and recycled in 2022. The rate was 17.4% in 2019, meaning formal recycling grew modestly while the total volume rose far faster. The remaining ~78% is mostly landfilled, incinerated, or processed informally in developing countries.
- What valuable materials are in e-waste?
- E-waste contains gold, silver, copper, palladium, and rare earth elements in commercially meaningful quantities. The UN estimates that in 2022, $62 billion worth of recoverable materials went unaccounted for, and values the gold in that year's e-waste alone at $15 billion (roughly 250 tonnes at 2022 prices).
- What is the projected e-waste volume in 2030?
- The UN Global E-waste Monitor 2024 projects 82 million tonnes by 2030, a 32% increase from 2022. The formal recycling rate is projected to fall to around 20% by then, as generation capacity is outpacing what collection systems can handle.
- Which countries generate the most e-waste?
- By total volume, China (12 Mt), the United States (7 Mt), and India (4 Mt) are the largest generators. Per capita, high-income European and North American countries lead. Low-income countries generate about 3 kg per person per year; high-income countries generate 22 kg.
Cite this rate
AnythingCounter derived rate, last checked October 2026: about 2,220 kg per second (about 191.8 million kg per day).
Method: Based on ITU / UNITAR 2024, converted to a per-second rate (daily total ÷ 86,400).
Suggested citation: AnythingCounter, "Electronic waste thrown away," October 2026, https://anythingcounter.com/e-waste-generated-per-day
Primary source: ITU / UNITAR.
How this number is calculated, and how much to trust it
The UN Global E-waste Monitor 2024 (the most recent authoritative global edition) reports 62 million tonnes of e-waste generated in 2022, the last year with complete global data. For the live counter we apply the UN's own 2022→2030 linear growth trajectory (+~2.5 Mt/year toward 82 Mt by 2030), giving an estimated ~70 Mt for 2025. Converting: 70,000,000 tonnes × 1,000 kg/tonne = 70 billion kg ÷ 31,557,600 seconds/year ≈ 2,220 kg/second. The live counter shows cumulative kg of e-waste generated today. The next UN Global E-waste Monitor edition is expected in 2027; we will refresh as soon as it is published.
The UN Global E-waste Monitor is jointly published by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), UNITAR, and partners. It is the definitive global source for e-waste statistics, used by UNEP, the European Commission, and national governments worldwide. Data collection uses a harmonised methodology across 78 countries, with modelling for countries lacking direct reporting. Figures for years after the latest complete global year are interpolated on the UN's own published 2022→2030 trajectory toward 82 Mt.
Sources: see below. More detail on our methodology page.
Sources
The Global E-waste Monitor 2014 - The Global E-waste Monitor 2017 - The Global E-waste Monitor 2020 - The Global E-waste Monitor 2024 - ITU - E-waste Statistics and Environment.
Worth a look... Gold in e-waste - Data center energy - Sand mined for devices.