COVID-19 Dented 2020’s Electronics Sales – But Laptops, Cell Phones and E-Games Defied Slump

Expected decrease in 2020 sales-related e-waste: 4.9 million tons or ~6.4%; Pandemic exacerbated digital divide between high, middle and low income countries.

In the first three quarters of 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic caused a 30% drop in sales of electronic and electrical equipment in low- and middle-income countries, but only a 5% drop in high-income countries, pushing the digital gap emphasized and strengthened between north and south, according to a new UN report.

Globally, sales of heavy electrical appliances such as refrigerators, washing machines and ovens fell the most – 6-8% – while small IT and telecommunications equipment fell by just 1.4%. Within the latter category, sales of laptops, mobile phones and gaming equipment increased in high-income countries and worldwide, but declined in low- and middle-income countries.

The new report, by UN e-waste researchers, predicts a total decrease of 4.9 million tons (Mt) in future sales-related e-waste by 2020, about 6.4% less than a “business as usual” scenario.

“The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on E-waste in the First Three Quarters of 2020” is published by the Sustainable Cycles Program (SCYCLE) of the UN University, Bonn and UNITAR, the Institute for Training and Research of the United Nations, which has recently settled in Bonn.

COVID-19 emphasized and intensified the digital divide between north and south, the UN said. Credit: UNU / UNITAR

The global results are contrary to early expectations, said Kees Balde, a UNU Senior Program Officer, who co-authored the report with UNU SCYCLE and UNITAR colleague Ruediger Kuehr.

Home offices and schooling, online hangouts and shopping, movie streaming and other activities spurred by COVID-19 lockdowns had many experts forecast a significant increase in electrical and electronic equipment consumption, as well as an increase in e-mail disposal. washed when people went to clean their houses and go shopping to replace almost broken electronic equipment.

Globally, however, all major categories of electronic and electrical equipment – screens and monitors, large equipment, temperature exchange equipment, small equipment and lamps – fell by 6-8%.

In weight, the largest decrease in consumption was in the large appliances category, 1.7 Mton lower, followed by small appliances and lamps.

The impact was greatest in Q1 and Q2 2020. Consumption recovered in Q3 in high-income countries, but not in low- and middle-income countries.

“The so-called digital divide is widening,” says Dr. kuehr. “The ability to adapt to digitization and earn a living or simply own and benefit from electronics is declining in some parts of the world. COVID-19 also revealed a digital divide in high-come countries, where many of the poor are left behind.”

One bright spot is the reduction in e-waste flows, although likely temporary, he notes, in regions where e-waste mismanagement is causing major environmental and health damage.

The report urges countries to use this breathing space to improve e-waste management.

dr. clenched; adds that COVID-19 has accentuated global inequality in other ways, leaving half a billion people underemployed or out of work, with women being affected twice as much as men.

And workers in low-income countries suffer the most, losing 23% of their working hours and causing social disasters as people go into debt, skip meals and keep their kids home from school.

By region: Electronic and electrical equipment consumption, first three quarters of 2020

North Africa and West Asia

In four countries with full datasets for analysis (Armenia, Israel, Egypt and Azerbaijan), an increasing trend in consumption was observed from 2018 to 2019, with small fluctuations. same quarters a year earlier.

Sub-Saharan Africa

In three with full datasets for analysis (South Africa, Mauritius and Zambia) a fluctuating but upward trend in consumption occurred from 2018 to 2019. All three quarters of 2020 showed a decline, especially Q2 when consumption was approximately 40% lower. The third quarter of 2020 showed an increase from the previous quarter, but below the pre-COVID-19 level.

East and Southeast Asia

Five countries and Hong Kong had full datasets for analysis (China, Hong Kong SAR, Japan, Maldives, India and Pakistan), which showed a slightly fluctuating but upward trend in consumption from 2018 to the third quarter of 2019. As of the fourth quarter. From the quarter of 2019 to the first two quarters of 2020, consumption decreased, while the third quarter of 2020 showed an increase.

Central Asia

Only one country, Kyrgyzstan, had full datasets for analysis and these showed a fluctuating but rising trend in consumption in 2018 and 2019, then a decline in the first three quarters of 2020. The third quarter of 2020 was higher than the second quarter , but not to the level of pre-COVID-19 times.

Europe and North America

These regions had the best data coverage and the analysis included 22 countries of the EU-27, Switzerland, Serbia, Norway, Canada, TFYR of Macedonia, United Kingdom, United States, Belarus and Iceland. The data showed a slightly fluctuating but upward trend in consumption in 2018 and 2019 and then a decline in the first two quarters of 2020. Consumption rose in the third quarter of 2020 – higher than the second quarter and even higher than the third quarter of 2019. Consumption in the first three quarters combined, however, did not reach pre-COVID-19 levels.

Australia and New Zealand

Consumption fluctuated in 2018 and 2019, with peaks in the fourth quarter and a slight decline from 2018 to 2019 and declines in the first two quarters of 2020 compared to previous years. The third quarter of 2020 was remarkably higher than the second quarter. Overall, the increase in the third quarter is greater than the decreases compared to the ‘business as usual’ scenario, bringing the consumption levels of the first three quarters of 2020 back to those of 2018.

Latin America and the Caribbean

The study included data from four countries, Belize, El Salvador, Mexico, Antigua and Barbuda, which showed that consumption fluctuated from 2018 to 2019 and then declined in the first two quarters of 2020 compared to previous years. Consumption in the third quarter of 2020 was higher than the second, but did not reach pre-COVID-19 levels.

The impact of the pandemic on affected e-waste was estimated using monthly trade statistics from a representative sample of all e-waste categories from January 2018 to October 2020 in 50 countries. The results have been extrapolated to all electronic products and compared to a ‘business as usual’ scenario, based on the monthly data from 2018 and 2019, and adjusted for seasonal fluctuations.

View the report: Impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on e-waste, the first three quarters of 2020

The SCYCLE program, currently co-hosted by UNU and UNITAR, will further explore the COVID-19-related impacts on e-waste and will devote a special chapter to this challenge in the next Global E-waste Monitor, with an expected release date of end of 2022.

United Nations University

United Nations University (UNU) is a global think tank and postgraduate education organization headquartered in Tokyo, hosted by Japan. The Sustainable Cycles (SCYCLE) is a program organized by the UNU Vice Rectorate in Europe, based in Bonn, Germany. Its activities are focused on developing sustainable production, consumption and disposal patterns for electrical and electronic equipment, as well as for other ubiquitous goods. UNU-ViE SCYCLE leads the way in the global quantification of e-waste product flows, with more detailed e-waste generated/generated analyzes performed in individual EU member states such as the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Italy, Romania and the Czech Republic.

UNIT

The United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) provides innovative learning solutions to individuals, organizations and institutions to improve global decision-making and support country-level actions to shape a better future.