The European Union (EU) could recover between 900,000 and 1.5 million tonnes of critical raw materials (CRM) annually from e-waste by 2050, according to the report “Critical Raw Materials Outlook for Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment” released to mark International E-Waste Day.
The report stresses that electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) is a cornerstone of Europe’s economy and daily life. Amid rising raw material demand, geopolitical tensions, and supply risks, Europe must treat waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) as an “urban mine”, strengthening systems for collection, product design, and recycling.
Across the EU27+4 region — including the EU member states, the UK, Switzerland, Iceland, and Norway — discarded phones, laptops, servers, appliances, and cables contain around 1 million tonnes of CRMs each year. These include essential metals and minerals needed for green technologies, digital infrastructure, and modern defense.
Jessika Roswall, European Commissioner for the Environment, noted that “recycling is not only an environmental duty but also a geopolitical strategy.” She warned that “Europe depends on third countries for more than 90% of its critical raw materials, yet some are recycled at rates below 1%.”
As of 2022, the EU+4 generated about 10.7 million tonnes of e-waste, equivalent to roughly 20 kg per person.
Of this, 54% (5.7 million tonnes) was treated in compliance with EU regulations, while 46% (5 million tonnes) was managed through non-compliant channels.
From the compliant stream, about 400,000 tonnes of CRMs were recovered, including 162,000 tonnes of copper, 207,000 tonnes of aluminium, 12,000 tonnes of silicon, 1,000 tonnes of tungsten, and 2 tonnes of palladium. However, around 100,000 tonnes of rare earth elements were lost in the process.
Non-compliant pathways resulted in significant losses — roughly 3.3 million tonnes of mixed scrap — while 400,000 tonnes of e-waste were exported for reuse.
By 2050, the total volume of e-waste in the EU+4 is expected to rise from 10.7 million tonnes in 2022 to between 12.5 and 19 million tonnes. The CRM content is projected to increase from 1 million tonnes to between 1.2 and 1.9 million tonnes.
Over the next 25 years, waste from large household appliances (washing machines, dishwashers) will grow from 4 million tonnes to up to 7.5 million tonnes; small appliances from 3.2 to 4.5 million tonnes; and heat exchange equipment from 1.8 to 3.3 million tonnes. In contrast, screens and monitors will decline from 800,000 tonnes to 400,000–700,000 tonnes.
Driven by the renewable energy transition, photovoltaic panel waste is expected to soar from 150,000 tonnes in 2022 to up to 2.2 million tonnes by 2050.
URL: https://www.eunews.it/en/2025/10/14/raw-materials-eu-urged-to-tap-its-urban-mine-of-e-waste/
