Datacenter expansion for AI could triple toxic e-waste in 25 years, report warns
A Basel Action Network report projects the global AI datacenter buildout will generate enough electronic waste to fill shipping containers circling the globe six times.
The expansion of massive datacenters to support artificial intelligence will create a "tsunami" of discarded electronics, according to a report by the non-profit Basel Action Network (BAN). The organization projects that e-waste generation will triple annually over the next 25 years, with electronic trash from AI datacenters alone filling enough shipping containers to encircle the globe six times.
The report notes that discarded datacenter equipment typically contains toxic materials including lead, mercury, cadmium, and forever chemicals, along with valuable metals that are difficult to reclaim. BAN says there is currently no comprehensive plan in place to manage this waste stream.
Sources
- Datacenter rush will create ‘tsunami’ of discarded electronics, report says — The Guardian — World
EGazette summarizes reporting from multiple sources; follow the links for the originals.
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