The number of discarded phones, laptops and other electrical and electronic waste discarded each year shows how much of a throwaway society we have become.
According to the UN Global E-Waste Monitor, in 2022 the figure was 62 billion kilograms.
The amount of e-waste produced annually is increasing rapidly, being expected to reach 82 billion kilograms by the end of the decade, with quantities rising five times as fast as formal recycling rates.
Ian Williams, professor in applied environmental science at the University of Southampton in the UK, describes the increase as “colossal”.
“The reason for this is our insatiable demand for electronic items,” he said.
“There’s a huge consumer and business market for electronic equipment – laptops, mobile phones, IT and computing … consumer electronics.
“Every child’s toy these days will talk to you or be connected to the internet. They used to be fluffy animals to play with.
“You’ve got new products because of technological development. AI, for example, is going to change the specifications needed for laptops and computers. People will need to upgrade faster.”
New types of electrical items are coming to the fore all the time, such as e-textiles or wearables – which are pieces of clothing, like vests, that collect a wealth of data on the performance of the sportsperson wearing them.
Popular initially with professional sportspeople, such innovations “all seep into consumer technology”, Prof Williams said, which results in more e-waste.
Industrial action
In another example, some industries, such as agriculture, are becoming increasingly connected through the use of drones and robotics.
As prosperity increases in developing nations such as India, and the price of electronics falls, items that once were hard to afford become essentials for much of the population.
Following several year-on-year increases, Statista forecasts that smartphone sales in India will reach 214 million devices next year – a 50 per cent increase on 2020’s figure of 143 million.
Despite some nations having well-established and highly regulated waste management systems that can recycle electronic waste, globally just 17 per cent of e-waste is disposed of correctly and recycled.
Many consumers do not know how best to deal with e-waste or they choose not to recycle items, instead dumping them in rubbish bins or the environment.
Research by the University of Southampton, for example, found that 22 per cent of residents in this English coastal city dispose of e-waste in the dustbin.
Mixing e-waste up with regular rubbish or dumping it can be harmful, as items may contain hazardous metals such as mercury, lead, lithium, nickel and cadmium, which can enter the soil and water sources.
Proper collection and recycling processes are not in place in many parts of the world, and informal recycling often happens, sometimes exposing those who carry it out to harm.
Going to waste
Large quantities of unused electrical or electronic items – anything with a plug, battery or cable – are laying unused in cupboards or drawers when they could be reused or recycled.
In a statement, International E-Waste Day, which is held every year on October 14, states that in six European member states of the WEEE Forum, an initiative on waste electrical and electronic equipment, the average household has 74 electrical items in total.
Of these, 13, often headphones, remote controls, mobile phones and games consoles, are “hoarded” in that they are no longer used. Nine of these hoarded items still work but are no longer used and four are broken.
Prof Williams advises consumers not to leave unused electrical or electronic items lying around but instead to try to pass them on to others.
“If it’s reusable, sell it as fast as possible on an online marketplace,” he said.
“It may not be valuable to you, but somebody else may value the opportunity to use it. That [extends] the lifetime and reduces the environmental impact of making new ones.
“ … People are becoming more savvy and becoming more used to online vendors and releasing the value of their items by putting them up for sale.
“Definitely we’re seeing the green shoots of improvement in this sector, but there’s a long way to go for sure.”
If not on an online marketplace, he recommends selling items to a reputable company that, if applicable, will wipe the data.
If items cannot be reused, the advice is to recycle them so that the materials can be properly disposed of or used in new items.
According to The Global E-Waste Monitor 2020, the raw materials in all the e-waste generated in 2019 were worth $59 billion, but just $10 billion were “recovered in an environmentally sound way”.
Just as some consumers are – by selling or recycling items – taking action that could reduce the quantities of e-waste produced, in some parts of the world the authorities too are focusing on the issue.
Repairing the damage
This year the EU agreed new “right to repair” rules aimed at ensuring that it is easier and cheaper to get items repaired than has been the case, an initiative that officials hope will promote a “circular economy” and reduce waste.
Another possible source of progress is the development of electronics that can safely degrade in the environment.
Among those working in this field is Dr Shweta Agarwala, an associate professor in the department of electrical and computer engineering at Aarhus University, Denmark.
She researches technologies such as electronic circuits that are printed on biodegradable materials like paper, textiles or biomaterials.
Whole devices that are biodegradable will not be created overnight, but there is the potential for a “step-by-step process” in which components within electronic devices are replaced with more sustainable alternatives.
“This is already being started where people are trying to replace smaller and smaller components within the circuits,” she said.
“ … Some of them can easily be degraded just by putting them underwater and they will be gone, some of them with ultraviolet light.”
Dr Agarwala said that producing whole devices that degraded safely was a “realistic” eventual target as research continues.
For the moment, however, perhaps there is only one true solution to the seemingly inexorable growth in the quantities of e-waste being produced: have fewer electrical and electronic items and try not to replace the ones you have.
“The most important thing people can do is to not buy new items unless they absolutely need to,” Prof Williams said.
“For example, your mobile phone can do absolutely everything: you can view videos, view streaming services, listen to the radio, read books, it’s a GPS. Why do you need anything else?”
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Greatest Royal Rumble match listing
50-man Royal Rumble - names entered so far include Braun Strowman, Daniel Bryan, Kurt Angle, Big Show, Kane, Chris Jericho, The New Day and Elias
Universal Championship Brock Lesnar (champion) v Roman Reigns in a steel cage match
WWE World Heavyweight ChampionshipAJ Styles (champion) v Shinsuke Nakamura
Intercontinental Championship Seth Rollins (champion) v The Miz v Finn Balor v Samoa Joe
United States Championship Jeff Hardy (champion) v Jinder Mahal
SmackDown Tag Team Championship The Bludgeon Brothers (champions) v The Usos
Raw Tag Team Championship (currently vacant) Cesaro and Sheamus v Matt Hardy and Bray Wyatt
Casket match The Undertaker v Rusev
Singles match John Cena v Triple H
Cruiserweight Championship Cedric Alexander v Kalisto
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
City's slump
L - Juventus, 2-0
D - C Palace, 2-2
W - N Forest, 3-0
L - Liverpool, 2-0
D - Feyenoord, 3-3
L - Tottenham, 4-0
L - Brighton, 2-1
L - Sporting, 4-1
L - Bournemouth, 2-1
L - Tottenham, 2-1
Squid Game season two
Director: Hwang Dong-hyuk
Stars: Lee Jung-jae, Wi Ha-joon and Lee Byung-hun
Rating: 4.5/5
The biog
Nickname: Mama Nadia to children, staff and parents
Education: Bachelors degree in English Literature with Social work from UAE University
As a child: Kept sweets on the window sill for workers, set aside money to pay for education of needy families
Holidays: Spends most of her days off at Senses often with her family who describe the centre as part of their life too
Brief scores:
Toss: Sindhis, elected to field first
Kerala Knights 103-7 (10 ov)
Parnell 59 not out; Tambe 5-15
Sindhis 104-1 (7.4 ov)
Watson 50 not out, Devcich 49
Nick's journey in numbers
Countries so far: 85
Flights: 149
Steps: 3.78 million
Calories: 220,000
Floors climbed: 2,000
Donations: GPB37,300
Prostate checks: 5
Blisters: 15
Bumps on the head: 2
Dog bites: 1
In-demand jobs and monthly salaries
- Technology expert in robotics and automation: Dh20,000 to Dh40,000
- Energy engineer: Dh25,000 to Dh30,000
- Production engineer: Dh30,000 to Dh40,000
- Data-driven supply chain management professional: Dh30,000 to Dh50,000
- HR leader: Dh40,000 to Dh60,000
- Engineering leader: Dh30,000 to Dh55,000
- Project manager: Dh55,000 to Dh65,000
- Senior reservoir engineer: Dh40,000 to Dh55,000
- Senior drilling engineer: Dh38,000 to Dh46,000
- Senior process engineer: Dh28,000 to Dh38,000
- Senior maintenance engineer: Dh22,000 to Dh34,000
- Field engineer: Dh6,500 to Dh7,500
- Field supervisor: Dh9,000 to Dh12,000
- Field operator: Dh5,000 to Dh7,000
WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Company profile
Date started: January, 2014
Founders: Mike Dawson, Varuna Singh, and Benita Rowe
Based: Dubai
Sector: Education technology
Size: Five employees
Investment: $100,000 from the ExpoLive Innovation Grant programme in 2018 and an initial $30,000 pre-seed investment from the Turn8 Accelerator in 2014. Most of the projects are government funded.
Partners/incubators: Turn8 Accelerator; In5 Innovation Centre; Expo Live Innovation Impact Grant Programme; Dubai Future Accelerators; FHI 360; VSO and Consult and Coach for a Cause (C3)
THE APPRENTICE
Director: Ali Abbasi
Starring: Sebastian Stan, Maria Bakalova, Jeremy Strong
Rating: 3/5
MATCH INFO
Maratha Arabians 107-8 (10 ovs)
Lyth 21, Lynn 20, McClenaghan 20 no
Qalandars 60-4 (10 ovs)
Malan 32 no, McClenaghan 2-9
Maratha Arabians win by 47 runs
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
RESULTS
1.45pm: Handicap (TB) Dh80,000 (Dirt) 1,400m
Winners: Hyde Park, Royston Ffrench (jockey), Salem bin Ghadayer (trainer)
2.15pm: Conditions (TB) Dh100,000 (D) 1,400m
Winner: Shamikh, Ryan Curatolo, Nicholas Bachalard
2.45pm: Conditions (TB) Dh100,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner: Hurry Up, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer.
3.15pm: Shadwell Jebel Ali Mile Group 3 (TB) Dh575,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Blown by Wind, Xavier Ziani, Salem bin Ghadayer
3.45pm: Handicap (TB) Dh72,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Mazagran, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar.
4.15pm: Handicap (TB) Dh64,000 (D) 1,950m
Winner: Obeyaan, Adrie de Vries, Mujeeb Rehman
4.45pm: Handicap (TB) Dh84,000 (D) 1,000m
Winner: Shanaghai City, Fabrice Veron, Rashed Bouresly.
How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
- Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
- Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
- Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
- Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
- Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
- The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
- Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
If you go
The flights
There are direct flights from Dubai to Sofia with FlyDubai (www.flydubai.com) and Wizz Air (www.wizzair.com), from Dh1,164 and Dh822 return including taxes, respectively.
The trip
Plovdiv is 150km from Sofia, with an hourly bus service taking around 2 hours and costing $16 (Dh58). The Rhodopes can be reached from Sofia in between 2-4hours.
The trip was organised by Bulguides (www.bulguides.com), which organises guided trips throughout Bulgaria. Guiding, accommodation, food and transfers from Plovdiv to the mountains and back costs around 170 USD for a four-day, three-night trip.
The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
Business Insights
- As per the document, there are six filing options, including choosing to report on a realisation basis and transitional rules for pre-tax period gains or losses.
- SMEs with revenue below Dh3 million per annum can opt for transitional relief until 2026, treating them as having no taxable income.
- Larger entities have specific provisions for asset and liability movements, business restructuring, and handling foreign permanent establishments.
Essentials
The flights: You can fly from the UAE to Iceland with one stop in Europe with a variety of airlines. Return flights with Emirates from Dubai to Stockholm, then Icelandair to Reykjavik, cost from Dh4,153 return. The whole trip takes 11 hours. British Airways flies from Abu Dhabi and Dubai to Reykjavik, via London, with return flights taking 12 hours and costing from Dh2,490 return, including taxes.
The activities: A half-day Silfra snorkelling trip costs 14,990 Icelandic kronur (Dh544) with Dive.is. Inside the Volcano also takes half a day and costs 42,000 kronur (Dh1,524). The Jokulsarlon small-boat cruise lasts about an hour and costs 9,800 kronur (Dh356). Into the Glacier costs 19,500 kronur (Dh708). It lasts three to four hours.
The tours: It’s often better to book a tailor-made trip through a specialist operator. UK-based Discover the World offers seven nights, self-driving, across the island from £892 (Dh4,505) per person. This includes three nights’ accommodation at Hotel Husafell near Into the Glacier, two nights at Hotel Ranga and two nights at the Icelandair Hotel Klaustur. It includes car rental, plus an iPad with itinerary and tourist information pre-loaded onto it, while activities can be booked as optional extras. More information inspiredbyiceland.com
CREW
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ERajesh%20A%20Krishnan%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ETabu%2C%20Kareena%20Kapoor%20Khan%2C%20Kriti%20Sanon%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%203.5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
