22 April 2013: The UN University’s Institute for Sustainability and Peace (UNU-ISP), Sustainable Cycles operating unit, has released a study on the state of electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) in China. China is one of the world’s largest producers, consumers and exporters of EEE, as well as one of the largest importers of e-waste, the report notes.

With funding from the US Environmental Protection Agency, the 55-page report, titled “E-Waste in China: A Country Report,” was developed by the UNU-hosted Solving the E-waste Problem (StEP) Initiative, as part of the StEP Green Paper Series. The study analyzes EEE consumption, domestic and transboundary e-waste flows, the e-waste collection and recycling sectors, legislative progress and e-waste stakeholders in China. It estimates that in 2011, 3.62 million tonnes of EEE was discarded. It follows the path of e-waste through recycling systems, underscores the blurred sector boundaries, and highlights the challenges of developing sound policy responses.

The report recommends: further research on the routes, trading mechanisms and quantities of transboundary flows of e-waste into China; developing a more accurate portrait of e-waste flows within China, including the volume of EEE on the market, the amount of e-waste collected and treated by the formal and informal sectors, and the scale of the market for refurbished and second-hand equipment; a systematic assessment of the current state of e-waste treatment levels and industrial development in China, as well as approaches to improve the health and environmental conditions in the informal sector; and facilitating the transfer of best technologies and practices to upgrade and improve e-waste treatment in China. [UNU Press Release] [Publication: E-Waste in China: A Country Report]