Wearable health devices could generate a million tons of e-waste by 2050 | TechCrunch

"It isn't something that tends to get much attention but a new study from Cornell University and the University of Chicago found that by 2050, demand for health wearables could hit 2 billion units per year, or 42 times more than today. Unless we change how they're made, these devices could generate over a million tons of electronic waste and 100 million tons of carbon dioxide over that same period, the authors warn."

"An even bigger surprise is that it's not the plastic that's the problem. The study, published in Nature, found that the printed circuit board - the device's "brain" - accounts for 70% of its carbon footprint largely due to intensive mining and manufacturing."

"The researchers suggest two fixes: develop chips using common metals like copper instead of rare minerals like gold, and make devices modular so the circuit board can be reused while the outer covering gets replaced. Wrote one of the study's co-authors, "When these devices are deployed at global scale, small design choices add up quickly.""

Demand for wearable health devices could reach 2 billion units per year by 2050, 42 times current production levels. Without changes to manufacturing and materials, cumulative waste could exceed one million tons of electronic waste and 100 million tons of CO2 by 2050. Printed circuit boards account for about 70% of a wearable's carbon footprint because of intensive mineral extraction and complex manufacturing. Switching to common metals such as copper instead of rare minerals like gold can reduce embodied emissions. Designing devices to be modular would allow circuit-board reuse while replacing housings, cutting waste and emissions.

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