Earth Day, 75 million tons of technological waste in 2030

On the occasion of Earth Day, Swappie, a European company specializing in iPhone refurbishments, has released the results of a research focused on the awareness of Italians regarding the impact of their carbon dioxide emissions and the production of electronic waste. The study reveals a notable discrepancy between consumer perception and the actual reality of e-waste generated. More than 80% of participants estimated they produce around 10kg of e-waste per year, but real data indicates that the amount is actually double, at around 20kg per person per year. This gap highlights a significant misjudgment that underlines the importance of greater awareness of the extent of discarded electronic devices.

Globally, the situation is alarming: a United Nations study revealed that 62 million tons of e-waste were produced in 2022, marking an increase of 82% compared to 2010. A further increase of 32% is expected by 2030, reaching 82 million tons. Despite these disconcerting data, awareness appears to be increasing among Italian consumers, many of whom are predicting an increase in e-waste of up to 75 million tons by 2030, equivalent to discarding around 1,000 laptops every second. Swappie also examined public perception of the CO2 emissions generated by a new iPhone in its first year of life. The results showed that only 20% of participants had an accurate estimate of approximately 80 kg of emissions per device. The majority, 60%, estimated emissions between 25 kg and 65 kg, while a minority even overestimated, reaching almost 100 kg.

Elena Garbujo, Country Manager of Swappie Italia, commented: “The results of our study underline the importance of raising public awareness about electronic waste and its harmful effects on our planet. There is a clear desire among consumers to make more informed choices to mitigate their impact on the environment, but the responsibility goes further: at Swappie we are committed to informing more and more people about e-waste and how everyone can contribute to making the world a better place.”