*By Angeliki Loizou
The digital world as it has been shaped in recent years facilitates the life of every person to a great extent and in many ways, however there is also a negative side: the electronic waste that is produced.
According to the latest UNGlobalE-WasteMonitor report, 62 million tons of e-waste were produced worldwide in 2022, with the volume being five times the amount recorded as recycled. Furthermore, less than 1% of the demand for rare earth elements is met through e-waste recycling, while their demand is growing rapidly. Critical minerals such as cobalt, copper, nickel and rare earths are essential for the production of clean energy technologies such as electric vehicles and are seen as a catalyst for the transition to a low-carbon economy.
The problem is compounded by the fact that over three-quarters of recycled e-waste is done without documentation and often using unsafe processes. The report showed that in 2022, 5.1 million tons of e-waste (8.2% of the global total) were traded across borders, of which about 3.3 million tons, or 65%, were moved from high-income countries to middle- and low-income countries through uncontrolled and undocumented flows. Apart from the fact that this practice is illegal, in many cases the host countries do not have the appropriate legal framework or the necessary infrastructure to properly manage it.
Improper disposal of e-waste can lead to the release of toxic substances into the environment, seriously endangering human health and the planet. At the same time, it entails discarding products that could be reused or re-utilized, helping to meet global demand and preserve rare earth elements.
Tackling this growing global problem requires widespread understanding and adoption of safe and effective best practices in e-waste management, which could be supported by appropriate legislation.
The International Organization for Electrotechnical Standardization (IEC) with its members recognizing this need has gone ahead and is going to publish a new international standard. IEC 63395 addresses the sustainable management of waste electrical and electronic equipment at all stages of the process, from collection to the return of recovered products, components, materials or energy to the production chain.
The standard includes requirements for the traceability, monitoring and evaluation of e-waste streams, the recovery rate as well as the quality of recovery. It is aimed at organizations that are active in e-waste management and seek to manage their responsibilities in a systematic way. The implementation of the standard not only improves the management of an organization's e-waste, but at the same time contributes to meeting compliance obligations as they arise from legislative regulations.
In doing so, the standard contributes to protecting human health and safety and the environment, maximizing resource circularity through the recovery of products, components and materials from e-waste, optimizing the quality of recovered products, components and materials, and preventing the use of unsustainable and unsafe e-waste recovery and disposal practices.
The Cyprus Organization for Standardization as the national standardization body is the competent body for the promotion of international, European and national standards and from January 1, 2026 is a full member of the IEC.
*Angeliki Loizou works as Standardization Officer A at the Cyprus Standardization Organization.
