What is e-waste? E-waste is electronic products that are near or at the end of their useful life and have been damaged. Computer, TV, copier, fax, etc. are among the products that we use on a daily basis.

Applying the best method to dispose of electronic devices is a challenge that the world has been facing since the 1970s, and today, electronic devices that are thrown away are much more than before, which are referred to as electronic waste.

In other words, e-waste is any used and broken electronic equipment that is thrown away and is very dangerous due to the toxic chemicals that naturally arise from the metals inside it when buried.

List of common e-waste items Home Appliances

microwave Home entertainment devices Electric ovens Heaters Fan Communication devices and information technology

Mobile phones Smart phones Desktop computers Computer monitor Laptop Hard disks Home entertainment devices

DVDs Televisions Video game systems Fax machines Copiers Printers Electronic Services

Massage chairs Heating pads Remote control TV remotes Electric cable Lamps Smart lights Night lights treadmill Smart watches Heart monitors Diabetes testing equipment Office and medical equipment

Copiers/printers IT servers wire and cable Wi-Fi dongles Dialysis machines Imaging equipment Telephone and central systems Audio and video equipment Network hardware (eg server, switch, hub, etc.) Power strips and power supplies Uninterruptible power supply (UPS systems) power distribution systems (PDU) autoclave shock device Today, with the advancement of technology and the high speed of introducing new products to the market, even healthy devices become obsolete after a while.

Think of the many VCR players that were replaced by the introduction of DVD players, and now DVD players with

Blu-ray players have been replaced.

The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that up to 60 million tons of e-waste end up in landfills in the United States alone each year. E-waste is the starting point for the introduction of toxic substances into the environment

While the use of electronic devices is not dangerous for us in terms of having toxic substances, most electronic devices contain some types of toxic substances, including beryllium, cadmium, mercury and lead, which pose serious environmental risks to soil, water, air and life. They bring our beast with them.

The more e-waste and metals in landfills, the more these toxic substances seep into the groundwater.

The entry of these substances into the water severely harms the wildlife and causes the wildlife to become ill due to lead, arsenic, cadmium and other metals poisoning due to the high concentration of these minerals. What to do with electronic waste? Fortunately, there is a proven solution! E-waste recycling is very useful and efficient.

Recovering parts inside devices that are still valuable and providing recycled metals to manufacturers who can make new products

Using these parts is a very good solution.

It can be said that almost all electronic waste contains some kind of recyclable material, this includes materials such as plastic, glass and metals, etc., and for this reason, it may seem a little funny that these devices are called "garbage" in While it can be very useful.

Technological innovators continue to create electronic devices that make our lives easier and more convenient in every way imaginable, so in response to the question, "What is e-waste?" A good answer would be: "It depends."

Electronic waste generation worldwide stood at roughly 62 million metric tons in 2022. Several factors, such as increased spending power, and the availability of electronics, has fueled e-waste generation in recent decades, making it the fastest growing waste stream worldwide. This trend is expected to continue, with annual e-waste generation forecast at 82 million metric tons in 2030.

How much e-waste do people produce?

Globally, e-waste generation per capita averaged 7.8 kilograms in 2022. However, this differs greatly depending on the region. While Asia produces the most e-waste worldwide in volume, Europe and Oceania were the regions with the highest e-waste generation per capita, at 17.6 and 16.1 kilograms respectively.

E-waste disposal

In 2022, the share of e-waste formally collected and recycled worldwide stood at 22.3 percent. Meanwhile, around 48 million metric tons are estimated to have been collected informally, with 29 percent of this value being disposed as residual waste, most likely ending up in landfills. Due to the hazardous materials that are often used in electronics, improper e-waste disposal is a growing environmental concern worldwide.

snapshot-tab-pane Electronic Waste Recycling Market Size 2025-2029The electronic waste recycling market size is forecast to increase by USD 32.74 billion at a CAGR of 21.6% between 2024 and 2029.The market is driven by stringent government regulations mandating proper e-waste management. These regulations aim to mitigate the environmental and health risks associated with the improper disposal of electronic waste. Furthermore, the increasing number of mergers and acquisitions among market companies signifies a consolidating industry, with companies seeking to expand their market presence and enhance their capabilities. However, a significant challenge facing the market is the lack of awareness about proper methods of e-waste segregation. Battery recycling and CRT recycling are essential sub-segments, given the hazardous nature of these materials.Companies in this market must navigate these challenges by investing in public awareness campaigns and developing innovative solutions for e-waste segregation and recycling to capitalize on the growing demand for sustainable waste management practices. This obstacle hampers the effective collection and recycling of e-waste, limiting the potential for value recovery and sustainable disposal solutions.What will be the Size of the Electronic Waste Recycling Market during the forecast period? Explore in-depth regional segment analysis with market size data - historical 2019-2023 and forecasts 2025-2029 - in the full report. Request Free SampleThe electronic waste (e-waste) recycling market is characterized by continuous innovation in recycling processes, ensuring the safe dismantling of e-waste while adhering to occupational safety standards. Metal refining and material separation technologies, such as pre-treatment processes and plastic granulation, play a crucial role in the efficient extraction of precious metals. National e-waste policies and sustainability reporting are driving the industry towards greater environmental stewardship, with post-treatment processes and energy recovery becoming increasingly important. Quality assurance and recycling certifications are essential for maintaining industry best practices and stakeholder engagement.Data analytics and waste characterization facilitate policy analysis and recycling economics, while environmental remediation and recycling facility optimization ensure regulatory compliance. Public awareness campaigns and waste classification efforts contribute to the overall success of the market, with a focus on circular economy principles and circular business models.How is this Electronic Waste Recycling Industry segmented?The electronic waste recycling industry research report provides comprehensive data (region-wise segment analysis), with forecasts and estimates in "USD million" for the period 2025-2029, as well as historical data from 2019-2023 for the following segments.Material Metals and chemicalsPlasticGlassSource Household appliancesEntertainment and consumer electronicsIT and telecomMedical equipmentOthersMethod Mechanical recyclingPyrolysisOthersGeography North America USCanadaEurope FranceGermanyUKMiddle East and Africa UAEAPAC ChinaIndiaJapanSouth America BrazilRest of World (ROW) By Material InsightsThe Metals and chemicals segment is estimated to witness significant growth during the forecast period. The market is driven by various entities and trends. The metals and chemicals segment, a significant component, focuses on recovering valuable metals like gold, silver, and copper, as well as safely disposing of hazardous materials. This segment's dominance is due to the economic incentive of extracting and reusing precious metals, essential for electronic manufacturing given the limited natural resources. Regulations mandate proper disposal and recycling of toxic substances to mitigate environmental and health risks. IoT technology integration in recycling processes enhances efficiency and accuracy, while AI and big data analytics facilitate material identification and sorting. Producer responsibility schemes promote take-back programs, ensuring compliance with waste management regulations.Sustainable practices, such as plastics recycling and circular economy principles, reduce the carbon footprint and promote resource recovery. Recycling technologies, including sorting and shredding, treatment, and processing equipment, enable the recovery of various components, such as CRT glass, batteries, and precious metals. Quality control measures, including manual sorting and automated sorting, ensure the highest standards. Reverse logistics and material flow analysis optimize the supply chain, ensuring efficient e-waste collection and transportation. Data sanitization and security are crucial in the recycling process to protect consumer priva

Presence of various types of household electronic waste (eWaste) and disposal methods used in previous 12 months.

Sustainable management of electronic waste is critical to achieving a circular-economy and minimizing environment and public health risks. The objective of this study was to investigate the use of pyrolysis as a possible technique to recover valuable materials and energy from different components of e-waste as an alternative approach for limiting their disposal to landfills. The study includes investigating the potential impact of thermal processing of e-waste.Thermogravimetric (TG) analysis and differential thermogravimetric analysis (DTG) of e-waste components were used to better understand the mass loss characteristics of the pyrolysis process up to 700 oC. The changes in e-waste chemical components during pyrolysis were considered using Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectrometry and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) techniques. The energy recovery from pyrolysis was made in a horizontal tube furnace under anoxic and isothermal condition of selected temperatures of 300, 400 and 500 oC. Critical and valuable metals were recovered from electronic components. Pyrolysis produced liquid and gas mixtures organic compounds that can be used as fuels, but the process also emitted particulate matter and semi-volatile organic products, and the remaining ash contained leachable pollutants. Furthermore, toxicity leaching characteristic profile of e-waste and partly oxidized products were conducted to measure the levels of pollutants leached before and after pyrolysis at selected temperatures. The results of this study contribute to the development of alternative approaches to practical recycling that could especially help reduce plastic pollution and recover materials of value from e-waste. Additionally, this information may be used to assess the risk of exposure of workers to emissions semi-formal recycling centers. This dataset is associated with the following publication: Sahle-Demessie, E., B. Mezgebe, J. Dietrich, Y. Shan, S. Harmon, and C.C. Lee. Material recovery from electronic waste using pyrolysis: Emissions measurements and risk assessment. Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering. Elsevier B.V., Amsterdam, NETHERLANDS, 9(1): 104943, (2021).

E-waste generation worldwide has nearly doubled since 2010, from **** million metric tons to roughly ** million tons in 2022. Electronic waste is one of the fastest growing waste streams, with global e-waste generation projected to reach ** million metric tons by 2030. What makes up electronic waste? In 2022, small equipment, such as vacuum cleaners, microwaves, toasters, and electric kettles made up the largest share of global electronic waste generation, at more than **** million metric tons. Another ** million metric tons of large equipment waste was also generated that year. Although still accounting for less than one percent of e-waste generated worldwide, the growth in solar PV capacity worldwide has seen photovoltaic panels as a growing waste stream. Where is electronic waste generated? China is by far the largest e-waste generating country worldwide, with more than ** million metric tons generated in 2022. In fact, Asia accounted for nearly half of all e-waste generated that year. Nevertheless, when it comes to e-waste generation per capita, four of the top five countries were located in Europe, with Norway leading the ranking at **** kilograms per inhabitant.

Editor’s Choice

• The Global E-waste management system Market size is expected to be worth around USD 160.2 Billion by 2032 from USD 52.6 Billion in 2022, growing at a CAGR of 12.10% during the forecast period from 2023 to 2032.
• Approximately 26,345,657 tons of electronic waste were thrown out worldwide till July 12, 2023.
• Approximately 50 million tonnes of e-waste is generated annually.
• Without any changes, it is estimated that the annual e-waste could more than double by 2050.
• In 2021, the world generated approximately 57 million metric tons of electronic waste, representing a record high.
• The Asia-Pacific region generated the highest amount of e-waste in 2021, with an estimated 25 million metric tons, followed by the Americas and Europe.
• The value of raw materials present in the e-waste generated in 2021 was estimated to be approximately $57 billion, including gold, silver, copper, and other valuable metals.
• By 2030, the global volume of e-waste is projected to reach 74 million metric tons, indicating a continued upward trend in e-waste generation.

(Source: digwatch, Global E-waste Monitor, United Nations University)

Introduction

E-waste Statistics: The rapid increase in electronic waste (e-waste) generation has made it one of the fastest-growing waste streams globally. With constant technological advancements, millions of tons of e-waste, such as old smartphones, computers, and household appliances, are discarded every year.

This rise in e-waste is fueled by the rapid obsolescence of electronic devices and the growing demand for newer models. E-waste poses serious environmental and health threats due to the presence of hazardous substances like lead, mercury, and cadmium. However, it also offers opportunities for recycling, resource recovery, and sustainable waste management.

Governments, industries, and consumers are increasingly aware of the need for effective strategies to tackle these challenges and harness the valuable materials within discarded electronics.

E-Waste Dataset

Overview

The E-Waste Dataset is a collection of images representing electronic waste items categorized into distinct classes. The dataset is designed for tasks such as image classification, object detection, and other computer vision applications. Electronic waste, or e-waste, is a growing concern globally, and this dataset aims to contribute to the development of technology-driven solutions for its management and recycling.

Content

The dataset is organized into three main folders:

• Train: Contains images for training the machine learning models.
• Test: Contains images for evaluating the performance of the models.
• Validation: Contains images for fine-tuning and validating the models.

Each of these folders is further divided into classes, with each class representing a specific type of electronic waste item.

Classes

The dataset comprises various classes of electronic waste, including but not limited to:

1. PCB (Printed Circuit Board)
2. Player
3. Battery
4. Microwave
5. Mobile
6. Mouse
7. Printer
8. Television
9. Washing Machine
10. Keyboard

Data Sources

The images in this dataset were collected from diverse sources, including open datasets, image repositories, and proprietary sources. Efforts were made to ensure a representative and diverse collection of electronic waste items.

Inspiration

The inspiration behind creating this dataset is to foster research and innovation in the field of computer vision and machine learning, specifically addressing challenges related to the identification and recycling of electronic waste. By providing a standardized dataset, we aim to encourage collaboration among researchers and developers working on solutions to mitigate the environmental impact of e-waste.

License

The E-Waste Dataset is released under [Apache 2.0]

Globally, Asia generates the largest volume of electronic waste. In 2022, the region generated over ** ******* metric tons of e-waste, more than ***** the amount of the Americas. E-waste that is not disposed of properly can result in toxic substances polluting the environment.

Overview

The goal of this project was to create a structured dataset which can be used to train computer vision models to detect electronic waste devices, i.e., e-waste or Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE). Due to the often-subjective differences between e-waste and functioning electronic devices, a model trained on this dataset could also be used to detect electronic devices in general. However, it must be noted that for the purposes of e-waste recognition, this dataset does not differentiate between different brands or models of the same type of electronic devices, e.g. smartphones, and it also includes images of damaged equipment.

The structure of this dataset is based on the UNU-KEYS classification Wang et al., 2012, Forti et al., 2018. Each class in this dataset has a tag containing its corresponding UNU-KEY. This dataset structure has the following benefits: 1. It allows the user to easily classify e-waste devices regardless of which e-waste definition their country or organization uses, thanks to the correlation between the UNU-KEYS and other classifications such as the HS-codes or the EU-6 categories, defined in the WEEE directive; 2. It helps dataset contributors focus on adding e-waste devices with higher priority compared to arbitrarily chosen devices. This is because electronic devices in the same UNU-KEY category have similar function, average weight and life-time distribution as well as comparable material composition, both in terms of hazardous substances and valuable materials, and related end-of-life attributes Forti et al., 2018. 3. It gives dataset contributors a clear goal of which electronic devices still need to be added and a clear understanding of their progress in the seemingly endless task of creating an e-waste dataset.

This dataset contains annotated images of e-waste from every UNU-KEY category. According to Forti et al., 2018, there are a total of 54 UNU-KEY e-waste categories.

Description of Classes

At the time of writing, 22. Apr. 2024, the dataset has 19613 annotated images and 77 classes. The dataset has mixed bounding-box and polygon annotations. Each class of the dataset represents one type of electronic device. Different models of the same type of device belong to the same class. For example, different brands of smartphones are labelled as "Smartphone", regardless of their make or model. Many classes can belong to the same UNU-KEY category and therefore have the same tag. For example, the classes "Smartphone" and "Bar-Phone" both belong to the UNU-KEY category "0306 - Mobile Phones". The images in the dataset are anonymized, meaning that no people were annotated and images containing visible faces were removed.

The dataset was almost entirely built by cloning annotated images from the following open-source Roboflow datasets: [1]-[91]. Some of the images in the dataset were acquired from the Wikimedia Commons website. Those images were chosen to have an unrestrictive license, i.e., they belong to the public domain. They were manually annotated and added to the dataset.

Cite This Project

This work was done as part of the PhD of Dimitar Iliev, student at the Faculty of German Engineering and Industrial Management at the Technical University of Sofia, Bulgaria and in collaboration with the Faculty of Computer Science at Otto-von-Guericke-University Magdeburg, Germany.

If you use this dataset in a research paper, please cite it using the following BibTeX: @article{iliev2024EwasteDataset, author = "Iliev, Dimitar and Marinov, Marin and Ortmeier, Frank", title = "A proposal for a new e-waste image dataset based on the unu-keys classification", journal = "XXIII-rd International Symposium on Electrical Apparatus and Technologies SIELA 2024", year = 2024, volume = "23", number = "to appear", pages = {to appear} note = {under submission} }

Contribution Guidelines

Image Collection

1. Choose a specific electronic device type to add to the dataset and find its corresponding UNU-KEY. * The chosen type of device should have a characteristic design which an object detection model can learn. For example, CRT monitors look distinctly different than flat panel monitors and should therefore belong to a different class, regardless that they are both monitors. In contrast, LED monitors and LCD monitors look very similar and are therefore both labelled as Flat-Panel-Monitor in this dataset.
2. Collect images of this type of device. * Take note of the license of those images and their author/s to avoid copyright infringement. * Do not collect images with visible faces to protect personal data and comply w

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(i) Waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE), also known as e-waste, such as computers, televisions, fridges and mobile phones, is one the fastest growing waste streams in the EU. WEEE include precious materials the recycling of which should be enhanced. (ii) The indicator is calculated by multiplying the 'collection rate' as set out in the WEEE Directive with the 'reuse and recycling rate' set out in the WEEE Directive; where: o The 'collection rate' equals the volumes collected of WEEE in the reference year divided by the average quantity of electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) put on the market in the previous three years (both expressed in mass unit). o The 'reuse and recycling rate' is calculated by dividing the weight of WEEE that enters the recycling/preparing for re-use facility by the weight of all separately collected WEEE (both in mass unit) in accordance with Article 11(2) of the WEEE Directive 2012/19/EU, considering that the total amount of collected WEEE is sent to treatment/recycling facilities. The indicator is expressed in percent (%) as both terms are measured in the same unit. (iii) EU Member States plus the United Kingdom, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway (iv)

This dataset provides detailed information on the quantity of various precious metals extracted from e-waste of different electronic devices. The metals analyzed include Gold, Aluminum, Silver, Carbon, Platinum, Rhodium, Nickel, Tin, and Lithium. Each entry in the dataset corresponds to a specific electronic device, such as smartphones, gaming consoles, and laptops, with their respective metal contents measured in grams.

Columns:

Item Name:

Type: String Description: Name of the electronic item. This helps in identifying the specific device being referred to. Category:

Type: Categorical (e.g., Cat1, Cat2, Cat3, Cat4) Description: Category of the electronic device. It classifies the item into a broader group, which can impact recovery rates. Brand Name:

Type: Categorical (e.g., Panasonic, Sony, Lenovo, etc.) Description: Brand of the device. Different brands might use different materials and have varying recovery rates. Device Age:

Type: Integer Description: Age of the device in years. This can influence the amount of recoverable materials as devices may degrade over time. Device Condition:

Type: Categorical (e.g., Broken, Average, Good) Description: Condition of the device at the time of recycling. Affects the amount and quality of recoverable materials. Device Type:

Type: Categorical (e.g., Consumer Electronics, Appliance, IT Equipment) Description: Type of electronic device. Different types of devices have different material compositions and recovery rates. Year of Manufacture:

Type: Integer Description: Year the device was manufactured. Older devices may contain different materials compared to newer ones. Gold (g):

Type: Float Description: Amount of gold (in grams) present in the device. Aluminum (g):

Type: Float Description: Amount of aluminum (in grams) present in the device. Silver (g):

Type: Float Description: Amount of silver (in grams) present in the device. Carbon (g):

Type: Float Description: Amount of carbon (in grams) present in the device. Platinum (g):

Type: Float Description: Amount of platinum (in grams) present in the device. Rhodium (g):

Type: Float Description: Amount of rhodium (in grams) present in the device. Nickel (g):

Type: Float Description: Amount of nickel (in grams) present in the device. Tin (g):

Type: Float Description: Amount of tin (in grams) present in the device. Lithium (g):

Type: Float Description: Amount of lithium (in grams) present in the device. Material Recovery Rate:

Type: Float Description: The percentage of material recovered from the device. This is the target variable for predictive modeling.

A current listing of NYS Registered Electronic Waste Recycling Facilities. Electronic waste types accepted vary from facility to facility.

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