OSLO: Electronic waste rose to a record 45 million tonnes worldwide in 2016, squandering valuable metals such as gold and copper since few trashed televisions, cellphones or other products get recycled, a UN-backed study showed on Wednesday.
Rising incomes and falling prices for everything from solar panels to fridges drove up the amount of e-waste – defined as anything with a plug or a battery – by 8% from 41 million tonnes in the last assessment for 2014, it said.
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