E-Waste Trends
Current eWaste Industry Trends
Electric and electronic equipment equals 6% of the U.S. gross domestic product, up from 5%, 10 years ago. E-waste constitutes as much as 5% of the U.S. municipal solid waste stream and continues to grow 5 times faster than all other waste streams. E-waste is the fastest growing segment of municipal solid waste. Annually it is a $40 billon industry.
Analyzing the e-waste segmented market brings two explosive trends to the forefront.
Current Obsolete eWaste
Research recently conducted for the Environmental Protection Agency estimates that three-quarters of all computers sold in the U.S. remain stockpiled in garages, closets, or other forms of storage. Of this total market, only 13% are reused or recycled. Recent studies estimate that the number of these unused obsolete computers is as high as 680 million units, equivalent to 34 billion pounds of obsolete CRT's in the United States.
It is estimated that changes in legislation will result in this e-waste finally being recycled in an environmentally safe and efficient program.
The California Integrated Waste Management Board estimates there is approximately 350 million pounds of CRT's stockpiled in California households and business warehouses currently eligible for recycling. This is in addition to the 120 million pounds of e-waste that comes on line for recycling annually.
Future Obsolete eWaste
In 2005 aloneit is estimated that 163,420 computers will become obsolete and approximately 274,000 cell phones will be disposed in the U.S daily. Based on conservative estimates, between 2006 and 2015 another 680 million computers and laptops will be sold in the U.S. The worldwide market for electronic waste will rise at an average annual growth rate (AAGR) of 8.8% from $7.2 billion in 2004 to $11 billion in 2009. The computer e-waste management services industry in the U.S. is estimated to be a $1.3 billion market in 5 years, growing to $17 billion in 10 years.