Datacenter rush will create ‘tsunami’ of discarded electronics, report says
Global push will triple toxic e-waste annually in 25 years, filling enough shipping containers to circle globe six times The ongoing campaign to build thousands of massive datacenters for AI will create a “tsunami” of discarded electronics, putting the world on a course to triple its annual generation of toxic e-waste in the next 25 years, a new report projects. The electronic trash AI generates…
The ongoing effort to construct thousands of datacenters for AI applications is set to generate a significant amount of e-waste, according to a report by the non-profit environmental group Basel Action Network (BAN). This surge in electronic waste is projected to triple the annual generation of toxic e-waste over the next 25 years, with the discarded electronics from datacenters potentially filling enough shipping containers to encircle the globe six times.
The report highlights that this e-waste typically contains hazardous substances such as lead, mercury, cadmium, and forever chemicals, alongside valuable metals that are challenging to recover. However, the report notes that there is currently no comprehensive plan in place to manage this growing problem.
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