WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) Recycling Market Size, Share, Industry Analysis, Trends, Growth, 2032

WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) Recycling Industry Prospective:

The global WEEE (waste electrical and electronic equipment) recycling market size was evaluated at $300 million in 2023 and is slated to hit $550 million by the end of 2032 with a CAGR of nearly 8% between 2024 and 2032.

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WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) Recycling Market: Overview

E-waste or electronic waste, which is also referred to as waste electrical and electronic equipment, is discarded electronic & electrical equipment. Reportedly, waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) is a European community guideline enacted by Europe in 2003. Moreover, waste electrical and electronic equipment recycling plays a pivotal role in reducing environmental degradation along with helping in making optimum usage of resources.

Key Insights

• As per the analysis shared by our research analyst, the global WEEE (waste electrical and electronic equipment) recycling market is projected to expand annually at the annual growth rate of around 8% over the forecast timespan (2024-2032)
• In terms of revenue, the global WEEE (waste electrical and electronic equipment) recycling market size was evaluated at nearly $300 million in 2023 and is expected to reach $550 million by 2032. 
• The global WEEE (waste electrical and electronic equipment) recycling market is anticipated to grow rapidly over the forecast timeline owing to a large-scale demand for automotive and consumer electronics equipment. 
• In terms of type, the electronic equipment segment is slated to register the highest CAGR over the forecast period. 
• Based on application, the environmental protection segment is predicted to contribute majorly towards the global industry revenue in the upcoming years. 
• Region-wise, the North American WEEE (waste electrical and electronic equipment) recycling industry is projected to register the fastest CAGR during the forecast timespan.

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WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) Recycling Market: Growth Factors

Escalating use of vehicles and durable goods to embellish the growth of the global market by 2032

A large-scale demand for automotive and consumer electronics equipment is likely to prop up the expansion of the global WEEE (waste electrical and electronic equipment) market. A massive surge in e-waste witnessed across the globe is expected to contribute majorly towards the expansion of the global market in the years ahead. Humungous use of sensors and AI systems has resulted in the massive generation of e-waste leading to environmental pollution, thereby driving the global market trends. Large-scale usage of electronic equipment owing to the digital and industrial 4.0 revolution will expand the scope of the global market in the years ahead.

WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) Recycling Market: Restraints

Stringent legislation about the use of recycling of waste electrical & electronic instruments can inhibit the global industry expansion

The low availability of recycling infrastructure and strict government laws focusing on the disposal of waste electric and electronic devices can impede the growth of the global WEEE (waste electrical and electronic equipment) recycling industry. Furthermore, recycling electronic waste can pose a huge health risk for a workforce that performs the tasks of recycling waste electrical and electronic devices. This, in turn, can further hinder the expansion of the global industry.

WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) Recycling Market: Opportunities

The growing need for preserving green environment can open new vistas of growth for the global market

A surge in industrial activities across the globe has translated into huge growth avenues for the global WEEE (waste electrical and electronic equipment) recycling market. In addition to this, a rise in the awareness among the people about maintaining a sustainable environment can expand the scope of the market growth across the globe in the near future.

WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) Recycling Market: Challenges

Rising costs of processing electrical & electronic device waste can challenge the expansion of the global industry

Electronic waste comprises harmful materials including, cadmium, lead, and mercury, thereby posing a huge threat to the demand for waste electric and electronic equipment recycling process. Moreover, workers exposed to these materials can face severe physical issues. This can challenge the growth of the WEEE (waste electrical and electronic equipment) recycling industry across the globe. Furthermore, all electrical and electronic waste materials cannot be recycled and this can further stagnate the growth of global industry.

WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) Recycling Market: Segmentation

The global WEEE (waste electrical and electronic equipment) recycling market is divided into type, application, and region.                                          

In type terms, the WEEE (waste electrical and electronic equipment) recycling market across the globe is bifurcated into electrical equipment and electronic equipment segments. Additionally, the electronic equipment segment, which gathered nearly 75% of the global market earnings in 2023, is anticipated to record the fastest annual growth rate in the forecast timeline. The expansion of the segment in the next couple of years can be subject to a slew of advantages offered by recycling electronic equipment including preventing the use of landfills and air pollution along with preserving natural resources.  In addition to this, recycling electronic waste can improve the quality of life of humans as it will reduce environmental degradation.

Based on the application, the global WEEE (waste electrical and electronic equipment) recycling industry is divided into metal smelting and environmental protection segments. Moreover, the environmental protection segment, which accumulated approximately 55% of the global industry share in 2023, is likely to make remarkable contributions towards the global industry proceeds in the next few years. The segmental expansion in the upcoming years can be credited to the massive recycling of electrical and electronic instrument wastes contributing to the green environment. Additionally, the recycling of e-waste materials such as palladium, copper, and platinum can help reduce air pollution, thereby steering the growth of the environmental protection segment.

WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) Recycling Market: Report Scope

WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) Recycling Market: Regional Insights

Europe is expected to maintain its leadership status in the global market in the next couple of years

Europe, which contributed approximately 47% of the global WEEE (waste electrical and electronic equipment) recycling market size in 2023, is expected to maintain dominance in the global market in the years ahead. Furthermore, the regional market expansion in the coming decade can be owing to the presence of key firms involved in the process of recycling electronic & electrical waste materials in countries such as France, the UK, Italy, Estonia, and Germany. Additionally, countries such as Russia, the UK, Germany, and France produce massive proportions of e-waste products with a rise in the purchase of consumer electronics goods, medical devices, and household equipment. The European WEEE directive focuses on gathering, recycling, and recovering targets of all kinds of electrical devices, thereby prompting the demand for recycling waste electrical and electronic devices among European manufacturers.

The North American WEEE (waste electrical and electronic equipment) recycling industry is projected to record the fastest growth rate in the forecast timeline. The swift progress of the industry in the continent can be a result of the presence of key firms offering waste electrical and electronics equipment recycling services in countries such as Canada and the U.S. In addition to this, the growing demand for renewable products is anticipated to spearhead the expansion of the industry in North America.

Key Developments

• In the first half of 2024, Samsung Electronics, an electronics firm based in South Korea, launched a consumer participation smartphone collection venture in partnership with CJ Logistics and E-Cycle Governance, an NGO. The strategic move is aimed at encouraging environmental sustenance and recycling of waste electrical and electronics equipment.   
• In August 2023, a UK-based jeweler, a cloud-native healthcare technology firm, introduced e-waste recycling initiative.

WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) Recycling Market: Competitive Space

The global WEEE (waste electrical and electronic equipment) recycling market profiles key players such as:

• Enviro Hub Holdings Ltd.
• Good Point Recycling
• ALBA Group Plc and Co. KG
• Waste Management Inc.
• Boliden AB
• Aurubis AG
• E Parisaraa Pvt. Ltd.
• Umicore SA
• Egyptian Electronics Recycling Co.
• Tetronics
• TES Singapore Pte Ltd.
• Electrocycling GmbH
• Stena Metall Group
• Global Ewaste Solutions
• Kuusakoski Oy
• MBA Polymers Inc.
• Sembcorp Industries Ltd.
• Sims Ltd.
• Veolia Environnement SA
• Electronic Recyclers International Inc.

The global WEEE (waste electrical and electronic equipment) recycling market is segmented as follows:

By Type

• Waste Electrical
• Electronic Equipment

By Application

• Energy Power
• Metal Smelting
• Chemical Extraction
• Environmental Protection

By Region

• North America
  • The U.S.
  • Canada
• Europe
  • France 
  • The UK
  • Spain
  • Germany
  • Italy
  • Rest of Europe
• Asia Pacific
  • China
  • Japan
  • India
  • South Korea
  • Southeast Asia
  • Rest of Asia Pacific
• Latin America
  • Brazil
  • Mexico
  • Rest of Latin America
• Middle East & Africa
  • GCC
  • South Africa
  • Rest of Middle East & Africa