BIR Partners with the United Nations on Global E-Waste Monitor
The Bureau of International Recycling (BIR) has announced a collaboration with the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) to co-develop the next edition of the Global E-Waste Monitor, recognized as “the textbook for end-of-life electronics policy.” This partnership aims to enhance global awareness of the real impact of electronics recycling.
The announcement was made during the Electrics, Electronics & EV Batteries Committee session at the BIR World Recycling Convention in Bangkok, Thailand on 27 October 2025.
Dr. Kees Baldé, Senior Scientific Specialist at UNITAR, shared that BIR will expand UNITAR’s data and understanding of how secondary raw materials are recovered from electronic products.
BIR President Susie Burrage OBE and Director General Arnaud Brunet congratulated Dr. Baldé, while Committee Chairwoman Josephita Harry (Pan American Zinc, USA) expressed pride in collaborating on the Global E-Waste Monitor 2027, marking a new chapter of partnership.
“We know what recycling delivers: recycled materials, critical raw materials, economic value, job creation, environmental protection and innovation in motion,” said Ms. Harry. “But it's time the world knows this — our work matters, our data matters, our impact matters. When our impact is counted, our industry is impossible to overlook.
Together, we turn experience into evidence and evidence into action. Electronics recycling is not the end of life. It is the beginning of value.”
Dr. Baldé outlined how the collaboration will include data gathering, mapping recycling capacities, running a questionnaire among BIR members, and extrapolating results globally — expanding beyond UNITAR’s previous European-focused research.
BIR will contribute a chapter to the Monitor, participate in global media outreach, and advocate for compliant e-waste recycling.
The Importance of Reliable Data
During his presentation, Dr. Baldé emphasized: “With bad data, we can only have bad information. And with bad information, we will have no policies or bad policies.” He presented key findings from the 2024 Global E-Waste Monitor, revealing that in 2022, global e-waste reached 62 billion kg (7.8 kg per person), with only 22.3% documented as properly collected and recycled. Projections indicate 82 billion kg by 2030, as e-waste generation has nearly doubled since 2010, outpacing formal recycling fivefold.
Policy and Trade Challenges
The session also discussed confusion stemming from January 2025 amendments to the Basel Convention on E-Waste, which affected trans-boundary trade in recycled non-ferrous metals.
Federico Zanotti, BIR’s Trade and Environment Policy Officer, explained that new rules place all end-of-life electronics under the Prior Informed Consent (PIC) procedure, creating confusion among customs authorities and recyclers.
“This new code looks only at where the material comes from, not what it actually is,” said Mr. Zanotti. “This is creating confusion with significant impact.”
BIR is engaging with UN, OECD, and government bodies to clarify regulations.
Industry Insights
Dylan Roman, CEO of Niu Niu Resources (Mexico), highlighted that PIC could offer competitive advantage by ensuring legal, traceable, and responsible material flows.
“Those who can prove trust in the value chain will define the market of tomorrow. When trust breaks, trade slows,” he noted.
Committee member Yousef Al Sharif (Sharif Metals Group, UAE) discussed rising trade costs in the Middle East and South Asia due to shipping disruptions, container shortages, and added duties.
“Policy now moves markets faster than price,” he said. “Recyclers who master compliance, transparency, and quality will lead the next decade of global metal trade.”