Regional E-waste Monitor for Latin-America, 2022 - Results for the 13 countries participating in project UNIDO-GEF 5554

1. INTRODUCTION
A. What is E-waste?

Electrical and Electronic Equipment (EEE) contains

all products and parts that run on a power or battery
supply. Upon being discarded by its owner, EEE
becomes e-waste, which contains both valuable and
hazardous materials [1].
EEE is a term used to define the wide variety of products E-waste are discarded products or
having circuitry or electrical and electronic components components that need a power or
that need a power or battery supply in order to perform battery supply in order to perform
their functions. EEE includes almost any such products their functions.
available in households and businesses – including
laptops, mobile phones, fridges, washing machines,
dishwashers, cooking and kitchen appliances, many
toys, servers, and musical instruments. The use of
EEE is increasing rapidly alongside societies’ general
development and the rapid development of information
and communications technology (ICT), and EEE is
spreading quickly in emerging sectors such as electric
transport, clean energy production, and smart cities,
which base their services on EEE and sensors.

When an EEE item is discarded, it becomes Waste

Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE), also known
as electronic waste, or e-waste. According to the StEP
(Solving the E-waste Problem) Initiative, e-waste is:
‘a term used to cover items of all types of EEE and its
parts that have been discarded by the owner as waste
without the intention of reuse’ [1]. The International
Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the legally binding
definition of the Basel Convention also define e-waste
or WEEE as ‘electrical or electronic equipment that is
waste, including all components, sub-assemblies, and
consumables that are part of the equipment at the time
the equipment becomes waste’(4).

Each type of e-waste has a specific size, hazardous

components, and valuable materials that affect the
way it must be formally collected, treated, recycled, or
disposed of in an environmentally sound manner (ESM).

16
(4)
Recommendation ITU-T L.1031/L.1032 and Technical guidelines on transboundary movements of electrical and electronic waste and used electrical and electronic
equipment, especially regarding the distinction between waste and non-waste under the Basel Convention (2014).
E-waste encompasses a wide variety of discarded products and is categorised into six main
categories.
E-waste can be categorised in different ways, including by product type or size. The European
Union’s WEEE Directive and the ‘E-waste Statistics Standards Guidelines’ [2] use a treatment-
oriented categorisation, with six main categories, as follows:

1. Temperature exchange equipment, including fridges, freezers, air

conditioners, and heat pumps.

2. Screens and monitors, comprising liquid crystal display (LCD) and light-
emitting diode (LED) televisions and monitors, laptops, and tablets.

3. Lamps, including LED lamps, high-intensity discharge lamps, and

compact and straight tube fluorescent lamps.

4. Large equipment, including products such as dishwashers, washing

machines, ovens and central heating systems, large printing systems, and
photovoltaic panels.

5. Small equipment, comprising microwaves, grills and toasters, personal

care products, speakers, cameras, audio sets and headphones, toys,
household tools, and medical and monitoring systems.

6. Small IT and Telecommunication equipment, including desktop

personal computers, printers, mobile phones, cordless phones, keyboards,
routers, and consoles.

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Regional E-waste Monitor for Latin-America, 2022 - Results for the 13 countries participating in project UNIDO-GEF 5554

B. E -waste: An International Issue

E-waste is one of the fastest-growing waste streams.

Globally, only 17 percent is officially collected and
recycled, wasting valuable materials and causing
53.6 Mt
damage to the environment [3].
GLOBAL E-WASTE GENERATED IN 2019
EEE, including equipment used for information and
communication technology services, offers good
opportunities for the world’s development, guaranteeing
higher living standards and satisfying numerous
E-WASTE IS A FAST-GROWING
needs. However, discarded equipment – such as AND TOXIC WASTE STREAM
phones, laptops, sensors, TVs, washings machines, air
conditioners, refrigerators, and many other items that CONTAINING BOTH AND TOXIC
contain harmful substances – poses considerable risks VALUABLE MATERIALS SUBSTANCES
for instance: for instance:
to human health and the environment, especially when
managed improperly. Greenhouse gas
Plastic emissions
Gold

The Global E-waste Monitor (2020) highlighted that a Brominated Flame

record 53.6 million metric tonnes (Mt) of e-waste were Retardants (BFR)

generated in 2019 – an increase of 21 percent since 57 Billion USD

Value of raw
2014 [3]. This increase is linked to the growing number materials in e-waste Mercury
Lead
of people using EEE worldwide as well as to a constant
technological development and the phasing out of old
technologies – i.e. shorter product lifecycle and designs
that do not support repair or reuse. Only 17 percent
is reportedly formally collected and recycled in an Documented to be collected Undocumented, most likely
and recycled in an landfilled or treated with
environmentally sound manner. The majority of e-waste environmentally sound manner inferior standards
that is not recycled or disposed of in an environmentally by depolluting it and recycling
the valuable materials
sound manner usually ends up in landfills, mixed with
other waste streams. Consequently, valuable resources,
THE VAST MAJORITY OF E-WASTE IS UNKNOWN AND IS
such as precious metals and rare earth elements, are MANAGED IN SUBSTANDARD WAYS, DEPENDING ON THE
wasted, and hazardous substances are released into the E-WASTE AND A COUNTRY’S WASTE MANAGEMENT
INFRASTRUCTURE
environment in ways that pose risks to human health and
the environment.

Managing e-waste requires specific legislation and

collection infrastructure and generally is poorly
regulated and enforced globally.

Source: The Global E-waste Monitor [3]

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As a complex and relatively recent generation and adopting improper and unsafe treatment and disposal
waste stream, countries need approaches pose significant challenges to human health and the environment,
to introduce specific legislation as well as to the achievement of the SDGs. E-waste management is closely
to enforce sound environmental related to many SDGs, such as SDG 8 on decent work and economic growth,
treatment and management of SDG 3 on good health and well-being, SDG 6 on clean water and sanitation,
e-waste. In 2019, 78 countries and SDG 14 on life below water. Considering the high raw material demand
(comprising 71 percent of the for EEE production, e-waste also relates to the SDG indicators on the material
global population) were covered by footprint (SDGs 8.4.1 and 12.1.1) and the SDGs on the domestic material
a legislation, policy, or regulation consumption (SDGs 8.4.2 and 12.2.2). Consequently, e-waste remains a
on e-waste, which is a significant global challenge because of its increasing generation worldwide and because
development from the 67 countries the proper treatment and prevention of its overall generation requires active
(66 percent of the population) engagement of a diverse set of actors, sometimes going beyond national
identified in 2017. Nevertheless, borders. As such, the management of e-waste is monitored in SDG 12 on
in most cases, policies are neither responsible consumption and production, under indicator 12.5.1 (national
legally binding nor appropriately recycling rate) and indicator 12.4.2 on hazardous waste generation, which
supported financially, which has has a specifically defined sub-indicator [3], [4](5).
been found to be less compelling for
ensuring their implementation and
SDG 12.5.1 Sub-indicator on e-waste =
compliance. Also, most legislative
instruments concentrate on Total e-waste
improving e-waste management, recycled
Total e-waste
but neither the reduction of the generated
volumes of e-waste generated nor
management practices, such as
repair and reuse of EEE, have yet ITU’s Connect 2030 Agenda set targets of increasing the global e-waste
been properly examined. recycling rate to 30 percent (Target 3.2) and raising the number of countries
with e-waste legislation to 50 percent by 2023 (Target 3.3)(5) .
E-waste management is monitored
in the United Nations’ Sustainable
Development Goals under SDG 12
on Sustainable Consumption and
Production.
In 2015, the United Nations Member
States adopted the 2030 Agenda
for Sustainable Development. This
agenda included the 17 Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs) and
169 targets for ending poverty,
protecting the planet, and ensuring
prosperity for all people over a
15-year span. Increasing e-waste

19
(5)
ITU's Connect 2030 Agenda (PP-18 Resolution 200, Rev. Dubai, 2018) https://www.itu.int/en/mediacentre/backgrounders/Pages/connect-2030-agenda.aspx.
Regional E-waste Monitor for Latin-America, 2022 - Results for the 13 countries participating in project UNIDO-GEF 5554

C. POP Management: An International The effort by many countries of limiting or banning

Issue POP production and use culminated in the Stockholm
Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants. More
Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) are organic than 180 countries are signatories to the Convention
compounds that are resistant to environmental and have agreed to eliminate or reduce the release of
degradation through chemical, biological, and photolytic POPs into the environment(7). The Stockholm Convention
processes [5]. They are primarily products and by- is an international treaty for protecting human health
products resulting from industrial processes, chemical and the environment from POPs. The Convention was
manufacturing, and the wastes resulting from such adopted in 2001 and entered into force in 2004, initially
processes and manufacturing. POPs are intentionally covering 12 chemicals [5]. The 12 POPs include eight
produced (e.g. pesticides) or unintentionally released pesticides (aldrin, chlordane, DDT, dieldrin, endrin,
from incomplete combustion or reaction processes. heptachlor, mirex, and toxaphene), two types of
industrial chemicals (polychlorinated biphenyls or PCBs
POPs pose a particular hazard, due to four of and hexachlorobenzene), and two chemical families
their characteristics: (1) they are toxic, (2) they are of unintended by-products of the manufacture, use,
persistent, resisting normal processes that break down and/or combustion of chlorine and chlorine-containing
contaminants, (3) they accumulate in the body fat of materials (dioxins and furans). Currently, 16 additional
people, marine mammals, and other animals and are POPs have been added by 181 Parties (as of 2017) to
passed from mother to foetus, and (4) they can travel the Stockholm Convention [6].
great distances on wind and water currents. Most
POPs generated in one country easily cross national The Basel, Rotterdam, and Stockholm Conventions
boundaries, affecting people and wildlife far from where (which entered into force in May 1992, February 2004,
they are used and released, including those where POPs and May 2004, respectively) focus on protecting human
have never been used – thus presenting a transboundary health and the environment from hazardous chemicals
problem. Today, POPs are found almost everywhere: in and waste, including POPs. Specifically, the Stockholm
our food, soil, air, and water. Wildlife and humans around Convention commits all Parties to eliminate or restrict the
the world carry amounts or traces of POPs in their bodies production, trade, use, and waste of specific POPs. The
at or near levels that can cause injury. Specific effects of Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants
POPs can include cancer, allergies and hypersensitivity, aims to phase out and eliminate the production and use
damage to the central and peripheral nervous systems, of these chemicals, as well as new ones that could be
reproductive disorders, and disruption of the immune added over time.
system. Some POPs are also considered to be endocrine
disrupters, which can damage the reproductive and All 13 countries included in this Regional E-waste
immune systems of exposed individuals as well as their Monitor have completed ratification, acceptance,
offspring by altering the hormonal system; they can approval, or accession to the convention. The National
also have developmental and carcinogenic effects(6). Implementation Plan requires each Party to develop a
Though POPs have been in use for decades, the world policy framework for effective management of POPs [7].
has only recently learned of their deadly qualities. Armed
with knowledge regarding the dangers of POPs, many
countries have since begun limiting or banning their
production, use, and release.

20
(6)
http://www.pops.int/TheConvention/ThePOPs/tabid/673/Default.aspx.
(7)
https://www.thegef.org/topics/persistent-organic-pollutants.
E-waste may contain POPs such as PCBs, polybrominated These 28 compounds, or group of compounds, are listed
diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), and other halogenated flame as POPs under the Stockholm Convention, either in
retardants. Brominated flame retardants (BFRs), like all Annex A (Elimination), Annex B (Restriction), or Annex
flame retardants (FRs), act to decrease the risk of fire by C (Unintentional production). Annex A includes 5 BFR
increasing the fire resistance of the materials to which compounds, referred to as POP-BFRs:
they are applied (e.g. e-waste plastics). Approximately • Hexabromobiphenyl (hexaBB), listed in 2009.
25% of e-waste (by weight) consists of plastics in the • Commercial pentabromodiphenyl ether (c-pentaBDE,
form of various polymers (mainly acrylonitrile butadiene consisting mainly of tetraBDE and pentaBDE), listed
styrene [ABS], polypropylene [PP], and polystyrene) in 2009.
[21]. However, such plastics contain a wide range of • Commercial octabromodiphenyl ether (c-octaBDE,
additives, such as flame retardants, fillers, pigments, consisting mainly of hexaBDE and heptaBDE), listed
and stabilisers, which collectively impact the recycling in 2009.
of e-waste plastics. Restricted BFRs (e.g. Octa-BDE and • Hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD), listed in 2013
Deca-BDE) represent only a small and rapidly declining • Commercial decabromodiphenyl ether (c-decaBDE
fraction of all BFRs found in e-waste plastic streams, consisting mainly of decaBDE), listed in 2017.
reflecting the restrictions on use of these substances that
have now been in place for more than a decade (2003 for
Octa-BDE, 2008 for Deca-BDE). One of the challenges
encountered by e-waste plastic recyclers is the presence
in their input of legacy additives – substances added POPs pose a particular hazard, due to
into EEE plastics in the past but whose use has been four of their characteristics:
discontinued (voluntarily or by law), due to concerns 1) They are toxic.
regarding human and environmental health. Such 2) They are persistent, resisting
additives include low molecular weight phthalates (such normal processes that break down
as DEHP, BBP, DBP, and DIBP, used as plasticisers), heavy contaminants.
metals (such as lead and cadmium compounds, used 3) They accumulate in the body fat of
as stabilisers), and some brominated flame retardants people, marine mammals, and other
(BFRs, such as octaBDE and decaBDE, used in external animals and are passed from mother
housings, and HBCD, used in foams). Plastics containing to foetus.
BFRs have to be removed during the treatment process 4) They can travel great distances on
of e-waste so that they do not end up in recyclables [21]. wind and water currents.

However, due to their potential to form POPs (e.g.

polybrominated dioxins and furans, PBDD/F) during
processing, the use of certain BFRs (POPs-BFRs) is being
restricted.

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Regional E-waste Monitor for Latin-America, 2022 - Results for the 13 countries participating in project UNIDO-GEF 5554

D. Framework Condition for the LATAM Countries

This report covers 13 Latin American (LATAM) countries located in Central

and South America.
The countries in the scope of the Regional E-waste Monitor for Latin- America
are: Argentina (ARG) Bolivia (Plurinational State of, BOL), Chile (CHL), Costa
Rica (CRI), Ecuador (ECU), Guatemala (GTM), Honduras (HND), Nicaragua
(NIC), Panama (PAN), Peru (PER), El Salvador (SLV), Uruguay (UGY), and
Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of, VEN).

Guatemala (GTM) Honduras (HND)

Nicaragua (NIC)
Venezuela (Bolivarian
El Salvador (SLV) Republic of) (VEN)

Costa Rica (CRI)

Panama (PAN)

Ecuador (ECU)

Peru (PER) Bolivia (Plurinational

State of) (BOL)

Uruguay (URY)

Chile (CHL)

Argentina (ARG)

22
 The 13 countries have 206.1 million inhabitants (inh), collectively, the most The LATAM countries
populous country being Argentina (45.1 million inh) and the least populous have 206.1 million
being Uruguay (3.5 million inh). The average population growth of the 13 inhabitants (2019).
countries from 2010 to 2019 was 10 percent.
In terms of demographics, the 13 countries have, collectively, 206.1 million inh
(2019). As of 2019, the most populous country is Argentina with 45.1 million
inh, followed by Peru (32.5 million inh) and Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of)
(28.1 million inh) (Figure 1). The population growth rate for the 13 countries
between 2010 and 2019 averaged 10 percent. Between 2010 and 2019,
Guatemala’s population growth rate was 20 percent, followed by Honduras
(17 percent), then Bolivia (Plurinational State of), Panama, and Ecuador
(15 percent each), while Uruguay had the smallest growth (4 percent). All
countries’ populations grew, except for Venezuela’s (Bolivarian Republic
of); the Venezuelan population decreased, as more than 5 million people
emigrated due to economic and political crises domestically, with about 80
percent of them residing in other Latin American countries(8).

Figure 1. Demographic overview of the region [8]

POPULATION GROWTH RATE 2010 - 2019

25%

GTM
20%
HND
PAN
15%
BOL ECU
CRI PER
NIC ARG
10%
SLV CHL

5%

URY
0%
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50
VEN
-5%
POPULATION IN 2019 (MILLIONS)

23
https://www.worldbank.org/en/programs/world-bank-support-to-the-venezuelan-migration#:~:text=World%20Bank%20Support%20to%20Venezuelan,host%20
(8)

countries%20to%20integrate%20migrants.
 Regional E-waste Monitor for Latin-America, 2022 - Results for the 13 countries participating in project UNIDO-GEF 5554

The difference in economic power per inhabitant is (Argentina, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Peru, and
large across the countries studied, but nearly the Venezuela - Bolivarian Republic of), and four are lower
entire population has access to electricity and internet. middle-income countries (Bolivia - Plurinational State of,
Between 1-4 percent of the populations of Venezuela El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua). As for poverty,
(Bolivarian Republic of), Costa Rica, Ecuador, available data for 2014 shows that only seven of the
Nicaragua, El Salvador, Panama, and Peru are below countries (Venezuela - Bolivarian Republic of, Costa Rica,
the poverty line ($1.90 a day), while 9 percent of Ecuador, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Panama, and Peru) have
Guatemala and 16 percent of Honduras live below the between 1 and 4 percent of the population living below
poverty line. poverty line ($1.90 a day), while 9 percent of Guatemala
and 16 percent of Honduras live below the poverty line. In
In terms of socioeconomic development, the countries 2017, not all of the population in some countries studied
have a very wide range of product purchasing have access to electricity. For example, in Costa Rica,
power parity (PPP)(9), ranging from $5,000 USD/year 99 percent of the population have access to electricity;
in Honduras and Nicaragua to $24,000 USD/year in Bolivia (Plurinational State of), 96.3 percent(11);
in Panama and Chile (Figure 2). All countries except Guatemala, 93 percent; Honduras, 87 percent; Peru, 84
Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) show a growth of percent; and Nicaragua, 68 percent. By contrast, 100
PPP. According to the World Bank classification, three percent of the population in Argentina, Chile, Ecuador, El
countries are high-income countries (Chile, Panama, Salvador, Panama, Uruguay, and Venezuela (Bolivarian
Uruguay)(10), six are upper middle-income countries Republic of) have access to electricity (not shown).

Figure 2. Economic overview of the region showing the purchasing power parity in USD/capita in 2019 (x-axis),
the total PPP growth rate from 2010 to 2019 (y-axis, bottom), and the share of the population with access to
electricity (top) [8]

100%
GROWTH OF PPP FROM 2010 - 2019

80%
PAN
60%
BOL PER
HND CRI
40%
GTM ECU AVERAGE URY
NIC CHL
20%
SLV
ARG
0%
0 5000 10000 15000 20000 25000 30000
-20%

-40%
VEN
-60%

-80%

PPP (USD / CAPITA)

24
(9)
The purchasing power parity (PPP) is an economic indicator that allows for comparing economic productivity and standards of living between different countries
and locations. PPP can be used to adjust the gross domestic product (GDP). (10) High income | Data (worldbank.org). (11) Access to electricity (% of population) - Latin
America & Caribbean | Data (worldbank.org).
E. Background to the Report

Though some assessments, projects, and initiatives on e-waste have been

undertaken in recent years, a comprehensive overview and analysis of the
e-waste and POPs contained in the e-waste plastic situation in the Latin-
American region is still lacking. This report strives to fill the gap by presenting
the past and current e-waste situation and POPs contained in e-waste plastics
managed in the 13 countries under the scope of the PREAL project. This LATAM
Regional E-waste Monitor presents an overview of the regional e-waste status
and has been prepared through a collaboration with governments, national
statistical offices, and countries’ independent experts. This overview allows
for international comparisons and contributes to the development of more
effective e-waste as well as appropriate POP management systems in the
region.

Within the regional effort toward strengthening the National Initiatives

and Enhancement of Regional Cooperation for the ESM of POPs in Waste
Electronic or Electrical Equipment (E-waste) in Latin-American countries, the
United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) partnered
with the United Nations University (UNU), Vice-Rectorate in Europe (ViE), and
Sustainable Cycles (SCYCLE) Programme (UNU-ViE SCYCLE) to implement
the Regional E-waste Monitor for Latin America: Results for the 13 countries
participating in project UNIDO-GEF 5554 (known primarily as the PREAL
project), which is focused on building regional capacity on e-waste statistics
for government officials and statisticians and improving e-waste data and
statistics in the region. Within the LATAM Regional E-waste Monitor, special
focus will be given to plastics, especially those containing POPs, to provide
data and information required for establishing ‘custom-made’ e-waste
management systems.

Specifically, this study reviews the current situation of e-waste and POP
legislation and management in the 13 countries analysed in this report. It
also analyses the trend in transboundary movement (TBM) of e-waste within
and out of these countries and provides a periodic monitoring on formally
collected e-waste and POP statistics information for these materials and
understudies efforts at ESM of these materials.

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