Europe’s Urban Mine: International E‑waste Day 2025 Highlights the Value Hidden in Our Electronics

14 October 2025, Geneva, Switzerland - On International E‑waste Day 2025, the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) joins international partners in drawing attention to the growing economic and environmental importance of electronic waste management. Across Europe, millions of tonnes of discarded devices are proving to be one of the continent’s most valuable untapped resources.

A new analysis by the FutuRaM consortium, prepared for this year’s International E‑waste Day, reveals that discarded electronic products across the EU27 + 4 (European Union, United Kingdom, Switzerland, Iceland and Norway) now contain around one million tonnes of critical raw materials (CRMs) every year. This is the equivalent of 50,000 fully loaded shipping containers, which, if placed end‑to‑end, would stretch from Paris to Zurich.

These materials, such as copper, aluminium, palladium and rare earth elements, are essential for Europe’s renewable energy technologies and digital infrastructure. In 2022, the region generated 10.7 million tonnes of e‑waste, or about 20 kilograms per person. Just over half (54 per cent) was managed compliantly, with the remainder handled through informal or unregulated routes. From compliant treatment, approximately 400,000 tonnes of CRMs were recovered, but significant losses still occurred due to inefficiencies in design and collection systems.

The study projects that by 2050, annual e‑waste could rise to between 12.5 and 19 million tonnes, embedding up to 1.9 million tonnes of CRMs. Depending on policy choices and investments in recycling capacity, Europe could recover as much as 1.5 million tonnes of these materials each year. The circular economy scenario would maintain waste levels near today’s volume while recovering over one million tonnes annually, a double dividend for both the economy and the environment.

Europe’s e‑waste is not waste; it is a multi‑billion‑euro resource waiting to be unlocked

Building on this idea, Kees Baldé, Senior Scientific Specialist at UNITAR SCYCLE and scientific coordinator of the FutuRaM Project, emphasised that every kilogram recovered and every device repaired strengthens the economy, reduces dependency, and creates green jobs.

The findings also align with evolving European policies designed to increase circularity and reduce external supply risks. The Critical Raw Materials Act (2024) sets a target for 25 per cent of annual demand to come from recycling by 2030, while the Circular Economy Act, now under consultation, aims to stimulate markets for secondary raw materials. A revision of the WEEE Directive, expected in 2026, is likely to tighten collection and reporting obligations, further driving recovery rates.

UNITAR’s SCYCLE Programme supports Member States in developing evidence‑based policies, strengthening data systems and building capacity for sustainable e‑waste management. The analysis also points to opportunities for investment in advanced recycling technologies, design for disassembly, and local repair infrastructure—transforming waste management into a source of innovation and employment.

The International E‑waste Day 2025 ultimately reminds policymakers, producers and citizens that circularity begins at home. Each unused phone or discarded appliance represents lost value and an opportunity to reduce Europe’s dependence on imported raw materials. With smarter product design, improved collection systems and a strong circular economy framework, what is now considered waste can become the cornerstone of a more sustainable and resilient future.