E-waste in numbers: Nearly 2.62 million tonnes in 19 years, enough to fill three-quarters of the Petronas Twin Towers: What can be done?

KUALA LUMPUR, March 4 — In nearly two decades, Malaysia has generated a staggering 2.62 million metric tonnes (mt) of electronic waste (e-waste). To put this into perspective, this volume would fill nearly three-quarters of the iconic Petronas Twin Towers. This figure, recorded between 2005 and 2023, shows no signs of slowing, with projections indicating continued growth.

The Department of Environment (DoE) estimates that 24.5 million units of electronic waste will be discarded this year alone.

E-waste refers to any device that requires mains power or batteries and has reached the end of its serviceable life. This encompasses everything from small items like hearing aids, mobile phones and computers to household appliances such as refrigerators and washing machines. There are also industrial machinery, electric bicycles, motor vehicles, and more. As our society becomes increasingly dependent on technology, e-waste has become one of the fastest-growing waste streams globally, requiring proper disposal methods to prevent further environmental damage and protect public health.

E-waste collection and processing across states in Malaysia commenced in 2005, following the implementation of the Environmental Quality (Scheduled Wastes) Regulations 2005.

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability told Malay Mail that 2020 marked the highest e-waste generation at 904,008.90 mt, largely due to the many phases of the Movement Control Order (MCO), as the nationwide lockdown led to a surge in electronic device purchases, with people confined to their homes.

In 2023, the e-waste collected was 65,280.14 mt, while the total e-waste recovery for the same year was 13,759.98 mt. This puts the recovery rate of e-waste as products or raw materials at 21.1 per cent of the total e-waste generation nationwide. Although this is considered low to moderate, Malaysia appears to have performed slightly better than the global average of 17.4 per cent, as recorded by the Global E-Waste Monitor 2020.

What is Malaysia’s e-waste management process?

E-waste management in the country is based on methods of recovery, reuse and final disposal. Currently, there are 17 facilities licensed by the DOE for full recovery and 106 facilities under partial recovery licenses.

Full e-waste recovery is a comprehensive approach to processing electronic waste, incorporating advanced technologies and sophisticated facilities capable of complete dismantling and material recovery. These facilities are equipped to handle hazardous materials safely, extract precious metals such as gold, silver, and platinum, and recover rare earth elements.

In contrast, partial e-waste recovery operates on a more limited scale, focusing on basic dismantling and sorting operations that primarily recover common materials such as plastic, aluminium, and copper.

These facilities typically specialise in specific types of e-waste and may not have the capability to process hazardous components or recover precious metals, often needing to send certain components to full recovery facilities for complete processing.

The lower technological and investment requirements explain why partial recovery facilities are more numerous in Malaysia, with 106 facilities spread across the country, though they operate with more restricted capabilities and environmental controls compared to full recovery facilities.

Among the valuable materials and metals recovered from e-waste are gold, silver, platinum, palladium, copper, aluminium, iron, and several other precious metals. — Picture by Yusof Mat Isa

States with the highest e-waste volume

E-waste generation across all states in 2023 amounted to 65,280.14 mt, compared to 286,205.84 mt in 2022. Melaka generated the most (26,089.68 mt) followed by Penang (13,004.61 mt), Selangor (6,890.02 mt) and Negeri Sembilan (6,833.05 mt).

“Based on the trend of e-waste generation across the states from 2015 to 2023, it was found that e-waste generation remained consistent in the state of Melaka, followed by Johor, Penang, and Negri Sembilan,” the ministry said in a reply to Malay Mail’s queries.

How do we compare in e-waste recovery with other countries?

In Malaysia, the e-waste collected in 2023 amounted to 65,280.14 mt, with the total recovery for the same year reaching 13,759.98 mt. This puts the recovery rate of e-waste as products or raw materials at 21.1 per cent of the total e-waste generated nationwide. Among the valuable materials and metals recovered from e-waste are gold, silver, platinum, palladium, copper, aluminium, iron, and several other precious metals.

Singapore, meanwhile, generates about 60,000 mt of e-waste yearly, according to its National Environment Agency (NEA). According to Today Online, half of this is estimated to come from households, citing an 18-month study by the NEA in 2018. The study, which reportedly surveyed 1,600 consumers and concluded in October 2017, found that Singaporean households recycled only 6 per cent of the estimated 30,000 mt of e-waste thrown out every year.

In 2022, Indonesia was the largest generator of e-waste in South-east Asia, producing 1.886 million kg of this waste type. According to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), an agency of the United Nations (UN) that oversees matters related to information and communication technologies, Indonesia ranked as the fourth-largest generator in Asia, behind China, India, and Japan.

In 2022, Europe was leading e-waste generation, producing 17.6 kg per capita. It also had the highest documented collection and recycling rate, with 7.5 kg per capita recycled, representing 42.8 per cent of the total e-waste generated. In contrast, African countries reported the lowest rate, with less than 1 per cent of e-waste being formally collected and recycled.

India generated 1,601,155.36 mt of e-waste in 2022, according to its Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, and 527,131.57 mt of this (33 per cent) was recycled. In 2023, there was around 1.6 million mt of e-waste generated in the country, and around 33 per cent of this was recycled.

According to Chinese news website CGTN, the Chinese government hopes to properly recycle 50 per cent of electronic waste by 2025, and include 20 per cent of recycled content in new products.

China is, by far, the largest producer of e-waste worldwide, having generated more than 12 million mt in 2022. The US followed suit, with roughly 7 million mt produced.

In 2022, China reportedly recycled approximately 4.2 million mt of e-waste, marking a 1.2 per cent increase compared to the previous year. In 2019, over 6.9 million mt of e-waste was generated in the US, but only 15 per cent of this was recycled.

The Global E-waste Monitor 2024 revealed that a record 62 billion kg of e-waste was generated globally in 2022, equating to an average of 7.8 kg per capita per year. The report states that 22.3 per cent of this e-waste was formally collected and recycled in an environmentally safe manner.

A container with electronic waste as seen in Port Klang May 28, 2019. — Picture by Mukhriz Hazim

Global outlook paints a grim picture

“The growth rate of countries implementing e-waste policy, legislation or regulation is decelerating, according to June 2023 data. Worldwide, 81 countries (or 42 per cent) currently have an e-waste policy, legislation, or regulation. This falls short of the ITU target of 50 per cent (97 countries) by 2023,” the report said.

The overall economic impact of e-waste management in 2022 resulted in a loss of approximately US$37 billion (RM165 billion). The primary costs include US$78 billion in externalised costs to both the population and the environment, caused by emissions of lead and mercury, plastic leakage, and contributions to global warming — especially in cases where hazardous substances are not adequately managed.

“It is projected that 82 billion kg of e-waste will be generated in 2030. In a business as usual scenario, documented formal collection and recycling rates will decline to 20 per cent in 2030. With documented formal collection and recycling rates at 22.3 per cent in 2022, the world would not be able to meet the 30 per cent target for 2023 set by ITU,” the report added.

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