Sponsored by the Taiwan EPA, the International E-waste Management Network held a virtual meeting on September 23 to explore on the possibility of achieving net-zero emissions through e-waste management, and showcase leading Taiwanese industries that have made significant achievement in realizing net-zero emissions. Furthermore, the event provided an opportunity for IEMN member countries to share their country’s latest implementation update on e-waste management. More than 180 participants from 28 different countries registered to participate in the half-day virtual event.

The event keynote addressed the potential contribution to net-zero through the proper recycling of e-waste to reclaim essential resources, such as aluminum, copper, gold, and plastic. It is estimated that by 2040, the electronics industry could account for 14% of total GHG emission. The event also invited a Taiwan recycling industry to share its IT-PCR plastic recycling process. Plastic is widely used in electronic products, and it accounts for a majority of the material used for production. By recycling plastic and put it back into production, it can reduce over 74% GHG emission, compare with virgin plastic material.

In the last session of the event, Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Philippines, Tuvalu and the US shared the latest status of e-waste management implementation in their country. Due to the pandemic, countries such as Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, and Tuvalu have not been to participate in recent events.