ELECTRONIC waste, or e-waste, is fast becoming one of the most pressing environmental and social challenges of our time. It encompasses discarded electrical and electronic equipment, from refrigerators and microwaves to computers, mobile phones, televisions, and cameras. Some components, especially computer CPUs, contain toxic substances such as lead, cadmium, beryllium, and chromium. These not only threaten the health of those handling e-waste but also damage our ecosystems.
Items like display units (CRT, LCD, LED), processors (CPU, GPU, or APU), memory devices, and audio components reach the end of their life cycle and join the e-waste stream. Globally, the scale is staggering: the United States discards around 30 million computers annually, while Europe retires 100 million mobile phones. The world now generates roughly 50 million tons of e-waste every year.
Bangladesh is no exception. According to the Global E-Waste Monitor Report 2024, our country is among South Asia鈥檚 largest e-waste producers. Over the past two decades, mobile phones alone have contributed 10,504 metric tons of toxic waste. Today, approximately three million metric tons of e-waste are generated annually, growing at 30 percent per year. If unchecked, Bangladesh could be swamped with crores of tons of electronic waste by the end of 2025.
The proliferation of electronic devices is undeniable. Bangladesh currently has 193.6 million active mobile phone subscribers, with countless computers, tablets, and other devices in circulation. After two to three years of use, these products become obsolete, adding millions of cellphones, laptops, televisions, refrigerators, air conditioners, washing machines and photocopiers to household waste.
Projections are alarming. By 2030, global mobile phone production could reach one billion units annually, accompanied by growth in other electronic products. If Bangladesh follows this trajectory, 1.6 million tons of e-waste could be generated annually, creating an unprecedented environmental and humanitarian challenge.
The dangers of e-waste extend far beyond the bin. Toxic metals in discarded electronics interact with human bodies, causing cancer, respiratory problems, hearing issues, birth defects, and even infant mortality. Shockingly, over 50,000 children and adolescents are directly involved in e-waste collection and recycling in Bangladesh. Each year, 15 percent of these children die due to exposure, while more than 83 percent fall ill after coming into contact with toxic substances.
Our environment pays a heavy price as well. Pollutants from e-waste damage biodiversity, wildlife, and aquatic ecosystems, while the fertility of agricultural land is gradually eroded. Without urgent action, these impacts will intensify, affecting generations to come.
Many developed nations have implemented advanced, sustainable recycling systems. Hazardous substances are safely removed, and valuable metals are recovered. The potential is enormous: properly recycled, a single mobile phone can yield up to 200 taka. Multiply this across millions of devices, and the economic benefits become clear.
Global corporations demonstrate how profitable e-waste management can be. Veolia, the French waste, water, and energy management company, earned over $50 billion in 2023, while Houston-based Waste Management Inc. recorded revenues of $20.4 billion the same year.
In Bangladesh, progress is underway. A national e-waste management plant in Gazipur is expected to be operational by 2028. Additionally, the World Bank-funded Bangladesh Environmental Sustainability and Transformation (BEST) programme, implemented by the
Ministry of Environment, aims to strengthen the country鈥檚 environmental management capacity and promote sustainable e-waste recycling.
Globally, 40 million tons of e-waste are generated annually, with the US and China contributing one-third. These discarded electronics contain valuable metals 鈥� iron, copper, gold, silver, aluminium and palladium 鈥� worth over $52 billion. Yet, only 17.4 percent of global e-waste is formally collected and recycled. The rest is often processed informally in developing countries, posing severe health and environmental risks.
Some countries are pioneering innovative solutions. In China, e-waste is converted into electricity by burning or mixing it with other materials to generate heat, which produces steam to turn turbines. This process employs skilled and unskilled workers in collection, sorting, dismantling and recycling. Bangladesh, with its policy framework under development and the Gazipur plant coming online, has a unique opportunity to replicate this model, creating jobs and fostering economic growth.
The message is clear: e-waste is not merely a problem; it is an untapped opportunity. If collected and recycled responsibly, it can generate significant wealth, create jobs, and protect the environment. With political will, strategic investment and public awareness, Bangladesh can turn the looming e-waste crisis into a success story of innovation, employment and sustainability.
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Dr M Mesbahuddin Sarker is a professor at the Institute of Information Technology, Jahangirnagar University.
