Carbon emission reduction through major e-waste recycling in China: Comprehensive assessment and trend analysis

Resource recycling effectively reduces greenhouse gas emissions from raw material extraction, thereby playing a crucial role in carbon emission reduction. This study adopted carbon footprint evaluation and emission factor methods to establish an approach and accounting model for carbon emission reduction from e-waste. The carbon emission reduction potential and characteristics of e-waste in China over the past decade were explored. The results indicated that from 2013 to 2022, the carbon emissions from e-waste recycling amounted to 1.459 × 10⁴ kiloton (Kt), the baseline emissions and avoided carbon emissions reached 6.932 × 10⁴ Kt, and the carbon emission reductions were 5.473 × 10⁴ Kt. In 2022, the average carbon emission reduction factor for standardized e-waste recycling was 2.865 tCO₂eq/t. The recycling of refrigerants, circuit boards, and metals was the main source of carbon emission reduction, contributing 40.7 %, 33.0 %, and 18.3 % of the total, respectively. Therefore, developing e-waste carbon emission reduction projects, and improving standardized e-waste recycling and disposal systems can effectively promote resource recycling and green development.