In celebration of Earth Day, European company Swappie has revealed the results of a study focusing on Italian awareness of the impact of carbon dioxide emissions and electronic waste production. The research showed a significant gap between consumer perception and actual data related to e-waste generated. While more than 80% of participants estimated they produce approximately 10kg of e-waste annually, the real figure is closer to double that amount, at around 20kg per person per year.
On a global scale, the e-waste situation is concerning, with a United Nations report revealing that 62 million tons were produced in 2022, marking an 82% increase from 2010. A further 32% rise is anticipated by 2030, reaching 82 million tons. Despite these troubling statistics, Italian consumers are becoming more conscious of the issue, with many predicting a surge in e-waste to 75 million tons by 2030, equivalent to discarding about 1,000 laptops every second.
Swappie also investigated public awareness of the CO2 emissions generated by a new iPhone in its first year, revealing that only 20% of participants accurately estimated around 80kg per device. The majority thought emissions ranged between
