The ITAD Report

The European Commission, a group, appointed by governments of the European Union, has adopted what it calls the Circular Economy Action Plan as part of an effort to achieve climate neutrality by 2050. Included among the measures are "right to repair" rules for electronic devices.

The European Union has been aggressively pushing for more controls on manufacturers because of what has been described as a throwaway culture in which companies make products that are used once and discarded, or design products with "premature obsolescence." 

The EC is also calling for products that are more durable in the first place, so that the need for repairs will not be so common. They also want to see more reusable electronics and devices that can be upgraded rather than tossed away when they become outdated. They would also like to allow consumers more options for returning old electronics, putting the onus on those who make such devices to be more responsible for them after they are no longer usable.

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E-waste is the world’s fastest growing waste stream and much of it is handled unsafely, causing pollution, human health hazards, and the loss of valuable finite resources. Take this short quiz to test your e-waste knowledge.

October 14th is International E-waste Day, an initiative aimed at reducing the burden that e-waste places on the environment and saving natural resources. To support educational and public awareness activities linked to the initiative, TCO Development has launched an e-waste quiz.

In 2019, 53.6 million metric tonnes (Mt) of e-waste was generated worldwide, an increase of 21 percent in just five years. E-waste is still the world’s fastest growing waste stream, and it is estimated that by 2030 the amount will reach 74 million Mt. Much of it is handled unsafely, causing pollution, human health hazards, and the loss of valuable finite resources. Most countries have difficulties handling these vast amounts of discarded products in a responsible and resource-efficient way. In 2019, only 17% of these products were collected and recycled.

E-waste quiz

Sales Leaders Must Adopt a Digital-First Approach and Meet Customers’ New Buying Preferences

Over the next five years, an exponential rise in digital interactions between buyers and suppliers will break traditional sales models, according to Gartner. In fact, research shows that by 2025, 80% of B2B sales interactions between suppliers and buyers will occur in digital channels. This is because 33% of all buyers desire a seller-free sales experience – a preference that climbs to 44% for millennials. 

“As baby boomers retire and millennials mature into key decision-making positions, a digital-first buying posture will become the norm,” said Cristina Gomez, managing vice president for the Gartner Sales Practice. “As customers increasingly learn and buy digitally, sales reps become just one of many possible sales channels. Because of this, sales organizations must be able to sell to customers everywhere the customer expects to engage, interact and transact with suppliers.”

Gartner research shows buyers typically spend only 17% of their time meeting with potential suppliers when they are considering a purchase. With less customer face time, virtual selling via digital channels will predominate.

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The third edition of The Global E-Waste Monitor 2020 launched the 3rd of July by the Global E-waste Statistics Partnership (GESP), states that a record 53.6 million metric tonnes (Mt) of e-waste – discarded products with a battery or plug such as computers and mobile phones – is reported generated worldwide in 2019, up 21 per cent in five years. The new report also predicts global e-waste will reach 74 Mt by 2030, almost double the 2014 figure, fuelled by higher electric and electronic (EEE) consumption rates, shorter lifecycles and limited repair options. According to the report, Asia generated the greatest volume of e-waste in 2019 (24.9 Mt), followed by the Americas (13.1 Mt) and Europe (12 Mt), while Africa and Oceania generated 2.9 Mt and 0.7 Mt respectively.

In 2019, only 17.4 per cent of e-waste was officially documented as formally collected and recycled. This means that iron, copper, gold and other high-value, recoverable materials conservatively valued at US $57 billion — a sum greater than the gross domestic product of most countries – were mostly dumped or burned rather than being collected for treatment and reuse in 2019. If valuable materials within e-waste are reused and recycled, this can promote a circular economy through secondary material use.

Click here to read the full story and download the report