AUTHOR: Kevin Grahadian, Maria Widyarini, Syayu Zhukruffa
PUBLISHED IN: Volume 5 Issue 2
KEYWORDS: E-Waste, WEEE, Sustainability, Indonesia, Developing Countries.
ABSTRACT
Research on e-waste and its environmental implications dates back over two decades, with early regulatory frameworks such as the EU’s Waste of Electronic and Electrical Environment (WEEE) Directive (2000) and RoHS restriction (2003) marking foundational milestones. Globally, scholars have long documented the release of toxic compounds – including lead, mercury, cadmium, and brominated flame retardants – into soil, air, and water systems via informal recycling and improper disposal. According to the Global E Waste Monitor, only about 17–18 % of e-waste is formally recycled worldwide, leading to the annual release of tens of thousands of kilograms of mercury and millions of kilograms of brominated plastics. Despite this longstanding global awareness, developing countries like Indonesia remain understudied, even as Indonesia generated approximately 1.9 million tons of e-waste in 2022 – with just 17 % managed properly. Most domestic research has been limited to snapshots of informal recycling practices or policy reviews, lacking the depth and methodological rigor seen in global studies (Kurniawan, et al., 2022). This review synthesizes foundational and contemporary global literature on e-waste’s environmental impacts, juxtaposed with the Indonesian context. Through this comparative lens, it highlights the wide research gap in Indonesia and underscores the need for comprehensive studies, robust data collection, and enhanced regulatory frameworks. Ultimately, it calls on researchers and policymakers to elevate Indonesia’s academic and practical response to e-waste, aligning it more closely with global best practices.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.65194/IJBI-2025-1007
