When it comes to assessing our impact on the planet, there seldom seem to be any good news stories to report.  New research from the Yale School of the Environment suggests, however, that as far as electronic waste is concerned, there may be good news to tell.

The research reveals that the total mass of electronic waste generated by Americans has been in decline since 2015, despite the number of devices we own seemingly on an irreversible rise.  The study suggests that the biggest cause of this decline is the gradual disappearance of bulky cathode-ray tube computer screens and televisions from our homes.  It’s a decline that the authors believe may require a rethink of the e-waste regulations.

“If you look at the state laws that exist in many places for e-waste recycling, many of them set their targets based on product mass,” they explain.

As the mass of waste declines, it may become harder to meet those targets.  What’s more, the regulations are often tasked with keeping items with high levels of lead and mercury out of the ground, where their materials can seep into the surrounding environment.  Now, an equally pressing concern is how to recover many of the previous elements, such as indium and cobalt, from the devices.

Circular economy

The paper suggests that this more circular approach to e-waste would significantly help the country secure the kind of resources needed for the manufacturing of electronic devices, especially given the geopolitical risks posed to mineral supplies.

Of course, by reclaiming and reusing these materials, it also reduces the need to mine the ore direct from the earth, thus reducing the significant environmental impact of mining.

In addition to the changing nature of e-waste, the report also highlights that the volume of devices entering the waste stream is also leveling off, or even declining slightly.  This is because many devices now are capable of performing multiple functions (think your phone as a camera or even gaming device), which ensures people need fewer devices than in the past.

The findings emerged from an analysis of twenty types of digital devices, including smartphones, cameras, and computers.  Each product was disassembled in the lab to understand the content, and particularly the important elements of each device.

“This is a very important finding that cuts against the widely held idea that electronic waste is the ‘fastest growing waste stream,” the researchers say. “It shifts our understanding of the problem with e-waste.”