Bangladesh is incurring substantial losses due to inadequate e-waste management, contributing to a global annual loss of $37 billion, as highlighted by a study from the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
The ITU’s report, “The Global E-Waste Monitor 2024,” identifies Bangladesh as one of the largest e-waste generators in South Asia, producing 367 million kilograms of e-waste in 2022 at a rate of 2.2 kilograms per capita. E-waste, defined as discarded electrical and electronic equipment containing both hazardous and valuable materials, poses significant environmental and health challenges.
Globally, a record 62 billion kilograms of e-waste was generated in 2022, averaging 7.8 kilograms per person. Despite recovering $28 billion from metals and saving $23 billion in greenhouse gas emissions, the high costs of e-waste treatment and its associated impacts lead to a net loss of $37 billion annually. This includes $10 billion spent on treatment and $78 billion in externalized costs, encompassing long-term socioeconomic and environmental damages, health issues, and environmental pollution.
Experts indicate that Bangladesh’s lack of a formal e-waste management system is a major contributor to these losses. Proper processes and infrastructure could transform e-waste management into a viable industry. Currently, Bangladesh has only a few licensed e-waste dismantlers, which employ basic and unsafe resource recovery practices.
In the South Asian region, Bangladesh ranks below India, Iran, Thailand, and Pakistan in e-waste generation but above Sri Lanka, Nepal, Afghanistan, Bhutan, and the Maldives. E-waste contains toxic substances like flame retardants used in appliances and electronics, which pose severe health risks when materials are burned openly.
The ITU report emphasizes the need for improved e-waste management practices in Bangladesh to mitigate environmental pollution, health hazards, and economic losses.
