A recent U.N. report states that the U.S. produces around 6.3 million tons, or 14 percent, of the world’s electronic waste. Worldwide, nearly 45 million tons of e-waste was discarded in 2016, and only 20 percent of that waste is recycled globally, according to the report.
In a recent article, Forbes points out that when “improper recycling methods” are taken into consideration, the current rate of responsible e-waste recycling is more like 15.5 percent worldwide. And while there is an increased focus on recycling today compared to the past, the efforts to reclaim used devices can’t keep up with the massive consumption rates for new devices.
