Electronic waste, commonly called e-waste, includes any electrical or electronic device that has been discarded, donated, or sent for recycling. The EPA defines it broadly as used electronics “nearing the end of their useful life” that are no longer wanted by their owner. That covers everything from old smartphones and broken laptops to worn-out toasters and dead batteries. In 2022 alone, the world generated a record 62 million tonnes of e-waste, enough to fill 1.55 million 40-tonne trucks lined bumper to bumper around the equator.
Common Items That Count as E-Waste
If a product runs on electricity or batteries, it almost certainly qualifies as e-waste once you’re done with it. The most obvious examples are computers, phones, tablets, and televisions. But the category extends far beyond consumer electronics:
- Large household appliances: refrigerators, washing machines, dishwashers, ovens, air conditioners
- Small household appliances: toasters, coffee makers, hair dryers, electric toothbrushes, vacuum cleaners
- IT and telecom equipment: laptops, desktops, printers, routers, servers, cables
- Consumer electronics: TVs, speakers, headphones, gaming consoles, cameras
- Lighting: LED bulbs, fluorescent tubes
- Power tools: electric drills, saws, lawnmowers
- Medical devices: home blood pressure monitors, CPAP machines
- Newer categories: e-cigarettes, smartwatches, fitness trackers, electric scooters
E-cigarettes are a growing and often overlooked source of e-waste. Because they contain both nicotine and lithium batteries, the EPA classifies them as hazardous waste under federal law. They cannot go in regular trash or recycling bins.
How to Spot E-Waste on a Product
Many electronic products carry a small symbol of a crossed-out wheeled bin, especially those sold in the European Union. This marking means the item should never go into regular household trash. Instead, it needs to be taken to a separate collection point for recycling or recovery. The symbol is required on all electrical and electronic equipment sold in the EU and is printed directly on the product whenever possible. If the device is too small for a visible label, manufacturers can place the symbol on the packaging or instruction manual instead.
Why E-Waste Can’t Go in the Trash
Electronics contain a cocktail of toxic materials that become dangerous when they break down in a landfill or are burned in the open. Circuit boards, screens, and batteries hold lead, cadmium, mercury, and nickel, along with flame retardants and other industrial chemicals. When these substances leak into soil or groundwater, or are released as fumes during informal recycling, they enter the food chain and the bodies of nearby residents.
The health toll is well documented. A systematic review published in The Lancet Planetary Health found that people living and working near e-waste processing sites had significantly higher levels of lead and cadmium in their blood compared to people in unexposed areas. In some communities, blood lead levels in children near informal recycling operations were nearly double those of children living elsewhere. Pregnant women in these areas showed cadmium levels in placental tissue up to seven times higher than those in control groups. These metals are linked to developmental delays in children, kidney damage, and respiratory problems.
Valuable Materials Inside Electronics
E-waste is also a waste of money, literally. A single tonne of circuit boards contains roughly 200 kilograms of copper, 0.4 kilograms of silver, and 0.09 kilograms of gold. Multiply that by millions of tonnes discarded each year, and the numbers are staggering. The 2024 Global E-waste Monitor estimated that $62 billion worth of recoverable natural resources went unaccounted for in 2022. Only 1% of rare earth element demand is currently met through e-waste recycling, despite these elements being critical for everything from electric vehicles to wind turbines.
Yet only 22.3% of e-waste generated in 2022 was documented as properly collected and recycled. The remaining 77.7% was landfilled, incinerated, exported, or simply lost to informal channels with no environmental safeguards. E-waste volume has risen 82% since 2010 and is projected to hit 82 million tonnes by 2030.
How to Dispose of E-Waste Properly
The simplest option for most people is a local e-waste collection event or a retailer take-back program. Many electronics stores accept old devices for recycling at no charge. Municipal waste programs in most U.S. cities also offer periodic e-waste drop-off days.
If you want to verify that a recycler handles materials responsibly, look for one of two certifications recognized by the EPA. The R2 (Responsible Recycling) Standard and the e-Stewards Standard both require facilities to maximize reuse and recycling, protect workers from hazardous exposure, ensure downstream handlers meet the same environmental standards, and destroy all personal data on devices before processing. Certified recyclers undergo regular audits to maintain their status.
Before recycling any device, back up your data and perform a factory reset. Remove SIM cards and memory cards from phones and tablets. For items with rechargeable batteries that you can’t easily remove, like wireless earbuds or smartwatches, bring them to a certified recycler rather than attempting to disassemble them yourself, since punctured lithium batteries can catch fire.