E-Waste Management Market Size & Share, Trend Analysis Report 2028

Industry Insights

[211+ Pages Report] According to Facts and Factors, the global e-waste management market was worth around USD 49,218 million in 2021 and is estimated to grow to about USD 1,07,465 million by 2028, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 13.9% over the forecast period. The report analyzes the e-waste management market’s drivers, restraints/challenges, and the effect they have on the demands during the projection period. In addition, the report explores emerging opportunities in the e-waste management market.

Market Overview

Electronic waste (E-waste) is defined as e-waste which includes special and precious metals such as gold, silver, platinum, palladium, gallium, and indium which are broadly utilized in the manufacturing of consumer electronics and IT and communication devices. The major factors that are expected to drive the growth e-waste management market in the forecast period are the reduced electronic product life cycle and the rise in the concern regarding the conservation of the environment and health.

The growing e-commerce sales of electronics are also expected to boost the growth of the e-waste recycling market in the coming years. The governments of various countries across the globe are increasingly introducing various policies for e-waste management across the value chain of the electronic devices industry. In addition, several non-profit organizations and government agencies are also taking initiatives to increase awareness regarding the proper disposal of e-waste among consumers. This factor will have a positive impact on the e-waste management market. The government policies and standards for e-waste management are also expected to cushion the e-waste management market's expansion.

Furthermore, the organizations that have been specialized by third-party auditors will present additional potential prospects for the expansion of the e-waste management industry in the future years. Moreover, the accessibility of valuable substances in e-waste is further anticipated to propel the growth of the e-waste management market. However, the advancing countries' unlawful dumping of e-waste may provide an additional impediment to the expansion of the e-waste management market in the near future.

COVID-19 Impact:

In terms of economic effect, the industry has witnessed a favorable growth trend, with the implementation of work-from-home rules increasing demand for mobile computing devices and decreasing the usage of fixed PCs and gadgets. As a result, organizations have been focusing on recycling these systems to reduce operational costs, creating a huge opportunity for overall market growth. With this rising possibility, a number of businesses have begun to engage in e-waste management.

Growth Drivers

• The growing burden of e-waste generation in emerging countries drives the overall e-waste management market

The continuous increase in the volume of e-waste due to technological advancements led to the introduction of new products at a rapid pace, particularly in the portable electronics category, such as tablets and wearables like smartwatches, and others are driving the E-Waste Management Market in the forecast period. In addition, rapid industrialization, growing populations, and a rapidly expanding middle-class population that is able to afford more gadgets. This, along with a growing consumer taste for modern devices with improved design, features, and functions, is driving the increase in the volume of e-waste created. The growth in the information and communication technology (ICT) industry and the large volume of discarded electronics are rapidly contributing to the burden of e-waste globally, driving the E-Waste Management Market in the coming years. With the majority of countries exporting their e-waste, it has created a significant opportunity for the e-waste importers to capitalize on the lucrative market.

Restraints

• The high cost of recycling e-devices is a major impediment to the E-Waste Management Market

The presence of valuable materials, highly polluted and toxic compounds, transportation costs, sorting costs, deteriorating infrastructure, and inadequate financing for e-waste treatment are all contributing factors to the high cost of recycling e-devices. Apart from the vast differences in e-waste disposal practices, the materials used in electronic devices, such as iron, aluminium, copper, lead, nickel, tin, and plastics, are the most difficult to recycle due to their poor reclamation value and labor costs. Furthermore, LCDs, CRTs, mouse and keyboards, printers, copiers, and coffee pots include roughly 60% to 70% of their entire weight in plastic. Because of these considerations, the cost of recycling e-waste is nearly ten times that of disposing of it. This is one of the major problems impeding the global adoption of e-waste management strategies.

Segmentation Analysis

The E-Waste Management Market is segregated based on Equipment Type, Method, Waste Source, and Material.

By waste source, the market is segmented as Household Appliances, IT & Telecom Equipment, Consumer Electronics (CE), Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs), Industrial Electronics (IE), and Medical Equipment. The Consumer Electronics segment dominated the market in the forecast period. The extensive adoption of electronic devices in the residential and commercial sectors has been the key factor fuelling the demand for consumer electronics. The industrial electronics segment includes IT & telecom equipment and medical equipment and is anticipated to grow at a rapid pace during the forecast period. The growth of the segment is due to the increasing establishment rate of IT and telecom solution providers along with the growing healthcare industry across the globe.

By material, the market is segmented into Metals, Non-ferrous Metals, Ferrous Metals, Plastic & Resins, and Other Materials. The metal segment accounted for the leading share in the market in the forecast period. Electronic and electrical products consist of components that use metal tracks, metal solders, and conductive metals. Metals are basically used in every individual component, printed circuit boards (PCBs), and microcontrollers, because of which this segment is estimated to exhibit the highest growth over the forecast period. In addition, the plastic segment is also projected to show considerable growth over the forecast period due to the growing usage of plastic in numerous electric devices, including food processors, computers, kettles, lawnmowers, and telephones.

Report Scope

Regional Landscape

The Asia Pacific dominates the e-waste management market due to an increase in disposable income in developed and developing countries. In addition, the constant latest innovations and continuous decrease in the costs of electronic products will further boost the growth of the e-waste management market in the region during the forecast period.

North America is expected to grow at a considerable rate in the forecast period. The increase is due to the region's growing population, as well as government laws in the United States and Canada that have resulted in an increase in e-waste collection and disposal. Furthermore, open burning and illegal disposal of garbage endanger the health of humans and animals, prompting governments to enact severe regulations against illegal dumping of waste on land and in seas, propelling the region's e-waste management industry.

Recent Developments:

• In 2021, Unicore launched CEWASTE, a 2.5-year project funded by the EU’s research and innovation program. One of the project's first stages is to identify the sorts of waste streams that included high concentrations of CRMs and investigate whether they could be recovered and recycled using present methods.

Competitive Landscape

Some of the main competitors dominating the E-Waste Management Market -

• Electronic Recyclers International Inc. (ERI) 
• Aurubis AG 
• Sims Metal Management Limited 
• Umicore 
• Boliden AB 
• Global Electric Electronic Processing Inc. 
• TRIPLE M METAL LP 
• Tetronics (International) Limited 
• Enviro-Hub Holdings Ltd. 
• Stena Metall AB

The global e-waste management market is segmented as follows:

By Equipment Type Segment Analysis

• Small Equipment
• Large Equipment
• Temperature Exchange Equipment
• Screens
• Small IT Equipment
• Lamps

By Method Segment Analysis

• Recycling & Reuse
• Dispose/Trash
• Landfill
• Incineration

By Waste Source Segment Analysis

• Household Appliances
• IT & Telecom Equipment
• Consumer Electronics (CE)
• Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs)
• Industrial Electronics (IE)
• Medical Equipment

By Material Segment Analysis

• Metals
• Non-ferrous Metals
• Ferrous Metals
• Plastic & Resins
• Other Materials

By Regional Segment Analysis

• North America
  • The U.S.
  • Canada
  • Mexico
  • Rest of North America
• Europe
  • France
  • The UK
  • Spain
  • Germany
  • Italy
  • Nordic countries
    • Denmark
    • Finland
    • Iceland
    • Sweden
    • Norway
  • Benelux Reunion
    • Belgium
    • The Netherlands
    • Luxembourg
  • Rest of Europe
• Asia Pacific
  • China
  • Japan
  • India
  • New Zealand
  • Australia
  • South Korea
  • Southeast Asia
    • Indonesia
    • Thailand
    • Malaysia
    • Singapore
    • Rest of Southeast Asia
  • Rest of Asia Pacific
• The Middle East & Africa
  • Saudi Arabia
  • UAE
  • Egypt
  • Kuwait
  • South Africa
  • Rest of the Middle East & Africa
• Latin America
  • Brazil
  • Argentina
  • Rest of Latin America