2025年电子废物管理的政策实践：平衡和公平的循环经济工具-第二版（英文版）

Tools for a balanced and fair circular economyThis toolkit is an interactive pdf. You can use the icons at the bottom to navigate through the document. Policy practices for e-waste managementSecond edition - 20252Universal and meaningful digital connecti-vity is a cornerstone of economic growth and societal development. Electrical and Electronic Equipment (EEE) holds immen-se potential to transform lives through emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, blockchain, and the Internet of Things (IoT). Yet, while digital progress accelerates, a stark digital divide remains - with 2.6 bil-lion people globally still lacking access to the Internet.(1) Bridging this gap and acce-lerating digitalization demands significant resources, this includes the transition to clean energy and smart mobility.At the same time, concerns are growing over the long-term availability of critical raw materials and rare-earth elements, which are essential to digital infrastructure and devices. Today, global competition over these finite resources is already affec-ting supply chains.Electronic waste (e-waste) is emerging as a vital, yet underutilized, resource. In 2022, the world generated an estimated 62 million tonnes of e-waste, including 31 million ton-nes of valuable metals - 4 million tonnes of which are critical raw materials. The econo-mic value of these materials is estimated at USD 91 billion. Yet, only 22 per cent of global e-waste was formally collected.(2)The proper collection, reuse, or recycling, of e-waste not only prevents environmen-tal harm but also unlocks new economic opportunities through material recovery. However, managing e-waste is complex due to the vast variety of components and materials involved.An effective policy measure involves mandating electronics producers to take responsibility for the entire lifecycle of their products. This includes the proper management, collection and environmen-tally sound disposal of products at the end-of-life stage. While this model may not be universally applicable across all sec-tors, Electrical and Electronic Equipment Extended Producer Responsibility (EEE-EPR) is particularly well-suited to the ICT sector, where shorter product lifecycles, traceability and material value recovery make implementation both practical and impactful. Globally, 81 countries have adopted e-was-te legislation or regulation, and 67 of them include legal provisions on EEE-EPR(3). Countries with well-enforced e-waste regulations report collection rates of up to 25 per cent - in contrast to negligible rates in countries with no such legislation.(4) As the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia continues to embrace digital transformation and sus-tainability, the Communications, Space & Technology Commission (CST), in collabo-ration with the International Telecommu-nication Union (ITU), is proud to present this toolkit. It serves as a practical guide for policy-makers, regulators and industry leaders seeking to implement circular eco-nomy pri