London: In 2014, Latin America produced 9 per cent of the world's electronic waste1 (e-waste), the equivalent of 3,900 kilo tonnes2 (kt), according to a new report from the GSMA and United Nations University Institute for the Advanced Study of Sustainability (UNU-IAS). The study, E-waste in Latin America: Statistical Analysis and Policy Recommendations , finds that over the next four years, e-waste generated by the region's population will grow between 5 and 7 per cent annually, with almost 4,800 kt of e-waste predicted by 2018.
The report was commissioned to identify the main challenges related to e-waste management in Latin America, focusing in particular on the opportunities associated with mobile phone collection and recycling. The total average e-waste generated in 2014 in Latin America was calculated to be 6.6 kg per person, of which 29 g represents mobile phone e-waste per person in the region, or approximately 0.3 mobile phones discarded per person per year.
Further findings from the report include:
The amount of e-waste is growing worldwide, reaching more than 40,000 kt of discarded electronic products in 2014;
For mobile phones in particular, nearly 189 kt have been discarded worldwide, nearly 17 kt of which was from Latin America;
Worldwide, e-waste generated from mobile phones represents less than 0.5 per cent of the total weight of the world's e-waste, which is the same proportion within Latin America; and
Only a small number of countries in Latin America have specific bills on e-waste; the majority are currently developing legislation but adequate recycling infrastructures should also be developed in parallel.
Within Latin America, most e-waste is generated in Brazil and Mexico, which respectively produced 1,400 kt and 1,000 kt of e-waste during 2014 due to their large populations, followed by Argentina (292 kt), Colombia (252 kt), Venezuela (233 kt), Chile (176 kt) and Peru (147 kt).
More and more people are relying on electronic devices, particularly mobile phones, in their daily lives, said Sebastian Cabello, Head of Latin America, GSMA. This is not only happening in developed countries, but also in emerging markets and growing economies. While mobile devices may only contribute to a minor percentage of total e-waste in Latin America, we encourage operators in the region to continue their voluntary efforts around e-waste management3, and also to work closely with regulators to develop a legislative framework that takes into account the responsibility of various industry players.
In the past, e-waste estimates were mainly based on a simple correlation with a country's gross domestic product. For this report, up-to-date data was derived using the sales lifespan approach, which is consistent with internationally accepted definitions of e-waste statistics that we have been working on in previous years with many other UN and international agencies, said Prof. Jacob Rhyner Vice Rector of UNU. We hope that the insights from this report will prompt further debate on policy development, taking into account the perspective of industry and other key stakeholders.
The report recommends a set of principles to guide e-waste policy development in Latin America:
Build targeted awareness campaigns through public authorities, with support from manufacturers, service providers, retailers and local councils, in order to educate consumers about their fundamental role in the recycling chain;
Ensure reliable access to raw materials to enable future access to key metals and effectiveness through the recycling chain;
Organise separate collection of mobile phones as the first, fundamental step in the recycling chain. However, the societal benefits of e-waste (especially mobile phone) recycling can only be achieved if all e-waste collected is channelled to the best treatment options;
Enable efficiency in the recovery process and across all steps of the recycling chain, which is particularly key for those metals that are extensively used in modern electronics;
Foster the creation of e-waste management and recycling infrastructure and processing facilities that can enable new entrepreneurial opportunities in the waste management sector and generate new job opportunities, especially in growing economies; and
Recognise the principle of extended producer responsibility (EPR) through a coordinated process with manufacturers, importers, distributors, traders and e-waste management companies, based on environmental and economically sustainable models.
The report calls upon policy makers to introduce legislation that supports recycling efforts by all stakeholders in the e-waste chain, including consumers and civil society. It also encourages coordinated discussion with all stakeholders across the recycling chain, involving manufacturers, importers, distributors, and e-waste collection and recycling companies.
To access the report, please visit: http://www.gsma.com/latinamerica/ewaste2015
-END-
Translations
Spanish
Portuguese
Notes to Editors
1 In this document, e-waste is used as a general term to include all appliances discarded: both waste and discarded electronic equipment with potential for reuse. The distinction between equipment destined for disposal or recycling and equipment intended for reuse is important, especially in regard to export, and this is a matter of ongoing discussion among parties to the Basel Convention.
2 1 kilo tonne = 1,000 tonnes
3 To find out more about volunteer initiatives by Latin American mobile operators to promote e-waste management, please visit: http://www.gsma.com/latinamerica/gsma-report-highlights-latin-american-operators-contributions-in-reducing-electronic-waste
About the GSMA
The GSMA represents the interests of mobile operators worldwide, uniting nearly 800 operators with more than 250 companies in the b
Most recent headlines
11/12/2025
Dalet, a leading provider of cloud-native, end-to-end media workflow solutions, ...
28/11/2025
Nadia Fall attends the 2025 Sundance Film Festival premiere of Brides at the Egyptian Theatre on January 24, 2025, in Park City, Utah. (Photo by Donyale West/...
28/11/2025
It's easy to ignore those little red update available badges. But when it ...
28/11/2025
WASHINGTON Federal Communications Commission has released a tentative agenda for the December Open Commission Meeting scheduled for Thursday, December 18, 2025 ...
28/11/2025
The Professional Fighters League is looking to super-serve fans of mixed martial...
28/11/2025
Fubo has released in beta on select Roku devices a new feature that lets users display up to four simultaneous streams at once....
28/11/2025
The WNBA playoffs and Week 4 of the NFL regular season highlight the list of live sports events airing on television this weekend....
28/11/2025
The 32nd class of honorees to the B+C Hall of Fame took to the stage at New York's Ziegfeld Ballroom on September 26 for a gala induction event. Click below...
28/11/2025
We hold in our hands the very last Next Text for Next TV, the weekly back-and-fo...
28/11/2025
DirecTV said it made a deal with EchoStar to buy EchoStar's video businesses, including satellite-TV provider Dish TV and virtual MVPD Sling TV, for $1 plus...
28/11/2025
The Broadcasting+Cable Hall of Fame, the premier industry event paying tribute to the influencers, innovators and shining lights of broadcast, cable and streami...
28/11/2025
Friday 28 November 2025
Sky Sports x Slawn drop limited-edition football jersey...
28/11/2025
Rohde & Schwarz shows resilience in a challenging environment, revenue exceeds t...
28/11/2025
Unwrapped: The Toy Show Appeal - airing this Sunday on RT One and RT Player- s...
27/11/2025
LONDON Vizrt has added several AI-driven advanced features offering improved speed, intelligence and accuracy in the newest version of its media asset managemen...
27/11/2025
Prime Video has launched AI-powered video season recaps in a beta version for select English-language Prime Original series in the U.S., a move Amazon is callin...
27/11/2025
Back to All News
Netflix's Raat Akeli Hai: The Bansal Murders Marks a Grand...
27/11/2025
27 Nov 2025
GSMA brings M360 Eurasia 2026 to Samarkand in partnership with VEON...
27/11/2025
Tahar Rahim and Izuka Hoyle star in the gripping six-part Sky Original from Acad...
27/11/2025
Thursday 27 November 2025
Sky Arts Reveals the Nation's Greatest Basslines - and Queen Reign Supreme
The UK's most iconic basslines have been revealed...
27/11/2025
Back to All News
Stranger Things 5': Prepare for One Last Adventure With O...
27/11/2025
The media industry has a paradox at its core. It's an industry built on light, color and imagination, yet behind the scenes, it's powered by one of the ...
27/11/2025
Rating reflects rating progress across areas including policies, diversity & inclusion, health & safety and Net Zero leadership
Winchester, UK, 27 November 202...
27/11/2025
What are the industry standards for Retail Media? Kathryn explains that certification is based on the IAB Europe Retail Media Measurement Standards and the IAB ...
27/11/2025
World champion boxer and Irish sporting icon Katie Taylor will be in studio this...
27/11/2025
Roblox, one of the world's most popular online gaming platforms for primary ...
27/11/2025
Black Friday is leveling up. Get ready to score one of the biggest deals of the season - 50% off the first three months of a new GeForce NOW Ultimate membership...
26/11/2025
SVG Sit-Down: Prime Video EP Mike Muriano Previews Massive Black Friday Slate Fe...
26/11/2025
A cinematic snow sculpture at the 1995 Sundance Film Festival. Photo by Randall Michelson...
26/11/2025
Book podcasts are booming. On Spotify, you'll find everything from celebrity book clubs to deep dives with bestselling authors. And in markets where audiobo...
26/11/2025
Mumbai, November 24, 2025: In a first-of-its-kind initiative, JioStar, in collab...
26/11/2025
LONDON Factual content producer ITN Productions has launched a new low-latency IP gallery for news bulletins....
26/11/2025
MIAMI TelevisaUnivision said it struck a new multiyear distribution agreement with YouTube TV that includes distribution of TelevisaUnivision's U.S. network...
26/11/2025
OpenDrives, Inc., a leader in software-defined data storage and data services, today announced the launch of the Atlas Corporate Creative Solution. This new Atl...
26/11/2025
Disguise, the industry-leading company powering the world's biggest live performances, is partnering with pioneering LED wall manufacturer DVS to give atten...
26/11/2025
HighField AI, the pioneer in agentic and multimodal automation for broadcast and media production, today announced the expansion of its global channel partner n...
26/11/2025
As high-stakes Premier League fixtures approach and additional premium content launches, with MONO positioning themselves to dominate Thailand's sports stre...
26/11/2025
Hosting a wide variety of events from high-intensity NHL games to complex live music concerts and major entertainment productions, Montreal's 21,000 capacit...
26/11/2025
Vizrt, the leader in live production technology revolutionizing viewer engagement and experience, releases AI-driven advances focusing on speed, intelligence, a...
26/11/2025
ITN Productions, an award-winning factual content producer, today launched a new low-latency IP gallery for news bulletins. Responsible for delivering a leading...
26/11/2025
Ikegami reports ongoing advances throughout 2025 in developing and delivering coordinated television production solutions that maximize quality, versatility and...
26/11/2025
Following the Nov. 21 blackout of NBCUniversal channels on Fubo, the two sides have traded barbs about their inability to reach a new carriage deal....
26/11/2025
LONDON As TV sports rights become increasingly important for both broadcasters and streamers, Ampere Analysis predicts global investment in the genre will surpa...
26/11/2025
LOS ANGELES Vubiquity said it has achieved the Amazon Web Services (AWS) Media & Entertainment Competency as part of the AWS Partner Network (APN). This designa...
26/11/2025
WASHINGTON The Federal Communications Commission's Enforcement Bureau said it has entered into a consent decree with Comcast calling for the cable company t...
26/11/2025
Berklee Named to the Hollywood Reporters Top Music Schools List The publication highlights the college's screen scoring program, industry partnerships, and ...
26/11/2025
Back to All News
Animated Series Love Through a Prism' Casts New Light on ...
26/11/2025
Back to All News
NALIP Unveils Fifth Cohort of Director Incubator
Social Impact
26 November 2025
United States
Link copied to clipboard
The National Assoc...
26/11/2025
YouView Achieves Greenly Gold Certification for SustainabilityNov 26, 2025
YouView is proud to announce a Gold Certification award from Greenly for our perform...
London: In 2014, Latin America produced 9 per cent of the world's electronic waste1 (e-waste), the equivalent of 3,900 kilo tonnes2 (kt), according to a new report from the GSMA and United Nations University Institute for the Advanced Study of Sustainability (UNU-IAS). The study, E-waste in Latin America: Statistical Analysis and Policy Recommendations , finds that over the next four years, e-waste generated by the region's population will grow between 5 and 7 per cent annually, with almost 4,800 kt of e-waste predicted by 2018.
