Wires and electronic e-waste is pictured at the North Vancouver, recycle depot, Thursday, Oct. 4, 2018. THE CANADIAN PRESS Jonathan Haywardfrom researchers at the University of Waterloo has found that the amount of electronic waste in Canada has more than tripled in the last 20 years.
According to the study, the amount of e-waste generated per person has increased from 8.3 kilograms in 2000 to 25.3 kg in 2020 and it will continue to increase in the near future. “This study provides useful insights to policymakers for setting up targets for e-waste reduction and recycling to recover valuable resources from e-waste,” Komal Habib, a professor at the University of Waterloo’s School of Environment, Enterprise and Development, said in apublished Monday. “E-waste could also help to create a secondary supply chain of critical materials, reducing the risks of potential supply disruptions.
Globally, the amount of e-waste generated annually is estimated to be 2.5 million metric tonnes and will increase up to 74.7 million metric tonnes by 3030, according to the study.