50+ E-Waste Statistics 2025

With the digital age showing no signs of waning, the environmental toll of our tech consumption has reached a critical point. In 2023, the UK was found to be the world’s second-largest contributor of electronic waste (e-waste) per capita, and is projected to surpass current leader Norway in the coming years.

Despite generating approximately 1.6 million tonnes of e-waste each year, just over half (54%) of this is formally collected for recycling. This not only squanders valuable resources like copper and lithium but also accentuates environmental challenges.​

DTP Group’s comprehensive analysis of e-waste statistics for 2025 sheds light on these issues, examining waste sources, recycling prevalence, and the most effective ways to reduce e-waste. By exploring current trends and future projections, we aim to document the evolving landscape of e-waste in the UK and beyond, demonstrating the urgency for sustainable solutions.

Global e-Waste Statistics

The latest e-waste statistics found that less than a quarter (22.3%) of e-waste mass was documented as properly recycled in 2022, leaving $62 billion worth of recoverable natural resources unaccounted for.

To put this in perspective, this is higher than the GDP of over 90 countries, including Jamaica, Iceland, and Jordan.

E-waste is among the fastest-growing solid waste streams, with an average growth of 3% to 5% per year. The annual generation of e-waste continues to rise by around 2.6 million tonnes per year and is on track to reach 82 million tonnes by 2030.

Despite this, only 81 countries have any form of legislation for e-waste management – around 42% of the overall total. The result? Over 347 million metric tonnes (Mt) of unrecycled e-waste worldwide in 2025.

How much is the global e-Waste market worth?

The global e-waste market was valued at nearly $48.41 billion in 2024 – a rise of 6.8% from the previous year.

The global value of the e-waste market, 2023-2029

(Source: Market and Markets)

*2029 data is a projection

By 2029, market value is expected to exceed $66.33 billion, marking a rise of over a third (+37%) from 2024. If correct, then the industry will experience a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.5% between 2024 and 2029.

How much e-waste is produced worldwide?

Recent e-waste statistics show a consistent rise in e-waste production since 2014, when the total stood at just over 44 million metric tonnes (Mt). A 4.5% rise in 2015 took the total to 46.4 Mt, before reaching 50 Mt for the first time two years later.

The total amount of global e-waste produced, 2014-2030

(Source: The Roundup.org and Statista)

By 2022, the global volume of e-Waste stood at 62 Mt, marking a jump of around 8% in just one year. This means that global e-waste in 2022 was around two-fifths more than the total in 2014.

The acceleration in e-Waste looks set to continue in future years, surpassing 65 Mt in 2025 before soaring to 82 Mt in 2030. If correct, then global e-waste will climb by nearly a third (+32.2%) between 2022 and 2030.

Which continent produces the most e-waste?

Asia is responsible for the most e-waste of any continent, with its total of 24.9 Mt, nearly double the total of the Americas in second place (13.1 Mt). However, Asia’s average waste per capita of 5.6kg was the second lowest of any continent and less than half the total of the Americas.

The total e-waste produced by continent and the average waste per capita, 2021

(Source: The Roundup.org)

Despite only having the third highest e-waste count, Europe had the highest average e-waste per capita, at 16.2kg. This was nearly 3kg more than North America and almost three times more than Asia.

At the other end of the scale, Africa produced less than 3 Mt of e-waste in 2022, giving it the lowest average waste per capita, at just 2.5kg. 

Though Oceania was the only continent to produce less than a million metric tonnes of e-waste, its average waste per capita was the second highest in the study, suggesting a high turnover of electrical items among the population.

Which country produces the most e-waste?

E-waste statistics from Statista found that China is the biggest producer of e-waste globally, with waste totalling 12 Mt in 2022. This was over 70% more than the US in second place, which produced around 7 Mt that year.

These countries also topped the list in 2021, with China’s total of 10.13 Mt over triple the total of third-placed India (3.23 Mt). Despite this, China’s recycling rate of 16% was substantially better than India’s, which recycled just 1% of its electronic waste.

The countries with the highest production of e-Waste in 2021

(Source: The Roundup.org)

Japan had the fourth highest volume of e-waste with a total of 2.57 Mt – around a fifth less than India. However, Japan’s recycling rate of 22% was the best of any country in the top five. Fifth-placed Brazil’s total of 2.14 Mt of e-waste is made more problematic by its 0% recycling rate.

Three European countries rounded off the top 10, with Germany, the UK, and France generating just over 4.5 Mt of e-waste combined. Interestingly, these countries had the three highest recycling rates in the top 10 at 52%, 57%, and 56%, respectively. 

This suggests a stronger culture of e-Waste recycling in Western Europe compared to other parts of the world.

Which country produces the most e-waste per capita?

Recent e-waste statistics found that Norway had the largest e-waste per capita of any country in Europe in 2022. The Scandinavian nation produced an average of 27kg of e-waste per person, around 3kg more than any other country. This also gave Norway the highest e-waste per capita worldwide.

Total e-waste per capita by country, 2022

(Source: Global E-waste Monitor)

*Average waste per capita rounded to the nearest whole number

The UK had the second-highest average e-waste per capita in Europe, at roughly 24kg. This was 1kg more than third-placed Switzerland and the second-highest globally. Rounding off the top five were France and Iceland, with averages of 22kg — 5kg less than Norway.

What is the largest source of e-waste?

Small electronic equipment items were the most prominent source of global e-waste, accounting for 17.4 Mt of e-waste production in 2021. This was over 4 Mt more than any other e-waste source and made up around a third (32.5%) of the overall total.

Total e-waste generation by equipment type

(Source: The Roundup.org)

Large equipment was the next highest source, producing 13.1 Mt of e-Waste, just under a quarter (24.4%) of the combined total. A fifth (20.1%) of e-waste came from temperature exchange equipment products like freezers, refrigerators, and air conditioners. 

Overall, this means that the three biggest categories were responsible for more than three-quarters (77%) of the world’s e-waste, combined.

Global e-Waste Statistics

The latest e-waste statistics found that less than a quarter (22.3%) of e-waste mass was documented as properly recycled in 2022, leaving $62 billion worth of recoverable natural resources unaccounted for.

To put this in perspective, this is higher than the GDP of over 90 countries, including Jamaica, Iceland, and Jordan.

E-waste is among the fastest-growing solid waste streams, with an average growth of 3% to 5% per year. The annual generation of e-waste continues to rise by around 2.6 million tonnes per year and is on track to reach 82 million tonnes by 2030.

Despite this, only 81 countries have any form of legislation for e-waste management – around 42% of the overall total. The result? Over 347 million metric tonnes (Mt) of unrecycled e-waste worldwide in 2025.

How much is the global e-Waste market worth?

The global e-waste market was valued at nearly $48.41 billion in 2024 – a rise of 6.8% from the previous year.

The global value of the e-waste market, 2023-2029

(Source: Market and Markets)

*2029 data is a projection

UK e-Waste Statistics

Large household appliances make up the most significant portion of collected household e-waste in the UK. With over 167,0000 tonnes collected in 2024, large household appliances were responsible for roughly a third (33.6%) of all collected e-waste.

Total UK household e-waste by category in 2024

(Source: GOV.UK)

Cooling appliances were the next most common waste source, with nearly 138,000 tonnes collected in 2024. This was over three times more than the next highest waste source and the only other one amounting to over 100,000 tonnes. 

This means that the two biggest waste categories were responsible for more than three-fifths (61.5%) of all e-waste collected in the UK, combined.

Three other categories generated more than 30,000 tonnes of e-waste, they were:

• Display equipment (47,095 tonnes)
• IT and telecoms equipment (40,403 tonnes)
• Small household appliances (35,686 tonnes)

Combined, the five biggest e-waste categories generated over 429,000 tonnes of e-waste – around 87% of the UK total.

e-Waste Recycling Statistics

Recent stats from Global E-waste Monitor anticipated a drop in the documented global collection and recycling rate, from 22.3% in 2022 to just 20% in 2030. This is due to the increases in recycling efforts being outstripped by the huge growth in e-waste generation.

The report cites numerous challenges affecting the recycling rate, including:

• Limited repair options
• Shorter product life cycles
• The ongoing shift towards electronification in society
• Design shortcomings
• Poor infrastructure for e-waste management

The same e-waste statistics claimed that if countries could bring e-waste collection and recycling rates to 60% by 2030, the benefits would exceed the implementation costs by more than $38 billion. This is because of the reduction in environmental hazards and human health risks that can put strain on the economy. 

What steps are countries taking to manage e-waste?

Just 81 countries had documented policies for managing e-waste in 2024, less than half (42%) of all nations. While this represents a rise from 78 in 2022, it highlights the need for a more aggressive global approach to e-waste management.

Just over a third (34.3%) of countries had legal provisions in place to ensure proper e-waste management, with roughly a quarter (24.6%) having formal collection rate targets.

The number of countries with various e-waste management provisions in place

(Source: Global E-waste Monitor)

The figures are even more concerning with recycling, with just 37 countries having official recycling rate targets. This equates to less than a fifth (19%) of all countries and means that there are 158 nations with no e-waste recycling targets.

Which continent has the biggest e-Waste recycling rate?

The latest report from Global E-waste Monitor shows that Europe leads the way in e-waste recycling. Over two-fifths (42.8%) of e-waste in Europe is formally collected or recycled, more than 12 percentage points higher than the Americas (30%).

Oceania had the second highest e-waste collection and recycling rate, at 41.4% – over three times more than Asia (11.8%).

The average e-waste recycling rate by continent, 2024

(Source: Global E-waste Monitor)

At the other end of the scale, less than 1% (0.7%) of e-waste in Africa is formally collected or recycled, by far the lowest of any continent. However, it is worth noting that Africa had by far the lowest number of e-waste per capita of any continent (2.5kg), meaning that their overall volume of unhandled e-waste is far lower than the likes of Europe, Asia and the Americas.

How to reduce eWaste

While a global consensus is needed to tackle the growing e-waste crisis, there are steps you can take in your day-to-day life to ensure you’re contributing to the solution. We’ll cover a few of these below:

Buy refurbished devices

Buying refurbished items can help reduce your personal e-waste footprint while saving you money along the way. Refurbished electronics are typically pre-owned items that have been repaired, restored, and tested to ensure they’re in full working order.

Common refurbished items that people buy include:

• Smartphones
• Laptops
• Tablets
• Games Consoles
• Cameras
• Sound equipment (e.g. speakers, headphones, stereos)
• Large household appliances (e.g. refrigerators, washing machines, dishwashers)
• Small household appliances (e.g. microwaves, vacuum cleaners)

With over three-quarters (77.7%) of global e-waste not formally recycled in 2022, buying refurbished items encourages a culture of re-use while helping slow the rapid growth of e-waste seen in recent years.

What’s more, refurbished items often come at substantially lower costs, with Laptop Outlet estimating that the typical smartphone buyer saves between 20% and 50% when opting for a refurbished phone, instead of a new one, of the same model.

Make recycling more accessible

Accessibility is one of the main obstacles to establishing a culture of e-waste recycling. While many people want to manage and recycle their e-waste efficiently, they are often unsure of how to do it.

Making e-waste recycling more accessible – both within the community and the workplace – can help reduce the volume of electronics that end up in landfill. There are numerous ways accessibility can be increased, including:

• Building and developing more e-waste recycling centres
• More public information on best practices for handling e-waste
• Having designated e-waste drop-off days
• Providing e-waste bins in offices and workspaces 
• Establishing home e-waste collection services

The power of accessibility is backed up by data, which shows that certain EU countries, with formal collection systems and strong recycling infrastructure, have e-waste recycling rates of over 50%, thanks to convenient take-back schemes.

Additionally, a report from Ingram Micro found 45% of US consumers saying they’re unsure about how to properly dispose of their mobile phone, indicating a major issue with accessibility and information around electronic recycling.

By making recycling easy, convenient, and routine, we empower more people to manage e-waste responsibly.

Buy-back schemes

Buy-back schemes are initiatives where manufacturers offer customers credit or cash for returning their used electronics. These schemes are one of the most powerful ways to encourage a culture of participation in e-waste recycling, helping us build a more sustainable ethos around electronics.

Many items purchased in buy-back schemes are refurbished by manufacturers and then resold, with unrepairable equipment being recycled or ethically discarded.

For customers, using buy-back schemes offers a chance to declutter space, earn cash, and support a more sustainable consumption model. So, next time you’re replacing your smartphone or laptop, look out for these schemes and see if you can earn some extra cash while reducing electronic waste.