3 Ways the Electronics Industry Can Transform E-Waste & Boost Sustainability

The electronics sector does not operate in a vacuum.

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): The electronics industry continues to make progress in why circularity matters, with promising examples from modular product designs to successful recycling pilot programs. But transforming the industry is an immense task. Electronics already account for more than $4.5 trillion in annual global trade and that comes with an enormous flow of raw materials, products, and – eventually – waste.

The consequences of a linear “take, make, waste” model are impossible to ignore. The world generated more than 62 million metric tons of e-waste in 2022 alone. Yet, less than one-quarter of it was formally collected and recycled. Millions of tons of valuable metals and minerals, many of them critical for clean energy technologies and other industries, were lost to landfills or informal recovery systems.

We have established why circularity matters, and we have seen individual efforts begin to point the way forward for the industry. Now the immediate challenge is how to embed it into day-to-day operations, standards, and product design so that it becomes the norm rather than the exception. Here are three actionable ways the industry can lead that shift.

1. Integrate Circularity into Product Roadmaps from Day One

Embedding circular design principles early – such as choosing materials for ease of separation or integrating modular components – can reduce waste and create products that are easier to repair, upgrade, and remanufacture.

Consider the urgency: global e-waste is projected to reach 74 million metric tons by 2030. By tackling circular design at the start, companies can help prevent a major portion of that waste before it happens. Tools like digital twins now allow engineers to model circular impacts before production even begins, turning theory into practice.

2. Empower Customers to Become Suppliers

Circularity can thrive when the traditional relationship between producer and consumer is reimagined. Instead of a linear flow where products end with the customer, companies can design systems where customers also become suppliers by returning valuable materials into the production cycle. End of use does not need to mean end of life for electronics.

Designing products for longevity, repairability, and take-back services makes this possible. Devices that are easier to repair or upgrade extend their useful life, while take-back programs capture critical materials for reuse. This keeps resources in circulation and also supports customers’ sustainability goals.

Policy trends are amplifying this shift. Extended producer responsibility (EPR) policies are creating markets that reward companies for offering circular solutions rather than relying on the take-make-waste model. By enabling customers to feed materials back into the system, companies turn something that once was considered an afterthought – e-waste – into a regenerative resource.

3. Create Cross-Industry Partnerships for Materials Recovery and Scale Circularity Solutions

The electronics sector does not operate in a vacuum. In fact, many of its critical materials, like rare earth elements, cobalt, and lithium, are shared with industries ranging from automotive to renewable energy. That makes collaboration across sectors essential.

Right now, just 1% of rare earth demand is being met through e-waste recycling, and in 2023, we mined for over 350,000 tons of rare earth elements across the world. That figure reflects both the scale of the challenge and the limits of today’s recovery technologies. Much of the equipment and infrastructure needed to recycle rare earths and other critical materials at scale have not come to fruition yet.

But the potential is massive. By 2050, advances in technology and collaboration could allow recycling to meet 40% of cobalt and 25% of lithium demand. To move in that direction, companies can begin by pooling research investments, aggregating waste streams, aligning standards for material recovery, and creating shared infrastructure that ensures recycled materials can reliably re-enter production.

 Courtesy: www.designnews.com