UN data on global waste an urgent call for action, says ERI

WINGDALE (Scrap Monster): According to John Shegerian, Chairman and CEO, Electronic Recyclers International (ERI), the recent report compiled by the United Nations University on global e-waste must be viewed as an urgent call for immediate action. The facts highlighted in the report titled “The Global E-waste Monitor 2014” shows that the issued caused by e-waste is even bigger and complicated than original estimates.

According to ERI, the e-waste stream is a dangerous tsunami and requires earliest action from individuals, government agencies and businesses to tackle it. A large number of organizations in the country don’t dispose their obsolete electronic goods in healthy and environment friendly manner. Recycling is the only solution, ERI notes. However, stakeholders should ensure that the recycling of these goods is carried out by certified recyclers.

The report states that dumped e-waste during the entire year totaled 41.8 million tonnes, mainly comprising of fridges, washing machines and other domestic appliances. The yearly e-waste has grown in excess of 5% when compared with 39.8 million tonnes generated during the entire year 2013. The report equates the total e-waste generated during the year to 23,000 kilometres long line of 1.15m heavy trucks.

The UN report also warns that, going by the current trend, e-waste could easily touch the 50 million tonne mark by 2018.

Electronic Recyclers International (ERI), the world’s largest privately held recycler of electronic waste, is e-Stewards and R2 certified to de-manufacture and recycle every type of electronic waste in an environmentally friendly manner. ERI processes more than 275 million pounds of electronic waste annually at eight locations serving every zip code in the United States.