Canada

Canada’s E-Waste Problem: Rising Volumes & Environmental Risks | 2026 Report – News and Statistics

03/28/2026

March 28, 2026

Research from the University of Waterloo, reported by Scrap Monster, shows Canadians are throwing away electronic devices at a high rate. The study predicts that about 2.3 million tons of e-waste will be produced in the country from 2025 to 2030. Over the past twenty years, the amount of discarded electronics in Canada has already tripled.

Researchers warn that further increases pose serious risks to the environment and public health. E-waste contains dangerous substances such as heavy metals, persistent organic pollutants and acids. Improper disposal can cause these substances to leach into soil and water, harming ecosystems and human health.

The waste also includes critical materials such as copper, gold and cobalt, the loss of which requires new, energy-intensive mining. Chemical flame retardants commonly used in electronics are toxic and can cause endocrine disruption, neurodevelopmental disorders and cancer. A significant portion of Canada’s e-waste is exported to developing countries, where improper handling exposes local populations, including children, to these hazards.

A key reason for the problem is the short functional lifespan that Canadians attribute to their devices. A survey of 800 households in nine provinces found that many replace electronic devices before they fail, often out of a desire for newer features or better performance. The study finds that about 65 percent of replacements occur while the original device is still usable.

Cell phones are one of the most frequently replaced items in Canada, with an average lifespan of 4.5 years. About 70 percent of consumers who discard electronic devices buy brand new products instead of entering the used market.

Canada’s current e-waste strategy is described as focusing on downstream recycling and disposing of devices only after they have been disposed of. The researcher emphasizes that a more effective approach would prioritize upstream solutions to prevent its emergence. This includes policies and business models that encourage longer product life, repairability and the purchase of used or refurbished goods.

Some retailers are currently offering refurbished electronics, presented as cheaper and more environmentally friendly options. However, the researcher suggests that more awareness and clarity regarding the shelf life and standards of such products are needed to address consumer concerns.

1. INTRODUCTION

Make data-driven decisions to grow your business
1. REPORT DESCRIPTION
2. RESEARCH METHOD AND THE AI PLATFORM
3. DATA-DRIVEN DECISIONS FOR YOUR BUSINESS
4. GLOSSARY AND SPECIFIC TERMS
2. SUMMARY

A quick overview of market performance
1. KEY FINDINGS
2. MARKET TRENDS This chapter is only available for the Professional EditionPER
3. MARKET OVERVIEW

Understand the current state of the market and its prospects
1. MARKET SIZE: HISTORICAL DATA (2012-2025) AND FORECAST (2026-2035)
2. CONSUMPTION BY COUNTRY: HISTORICAL DATA (2012-2025) AND FORECAST (2026-2035)
3. MARKET FORECAST UNTIL 2035
4. MOST PROMISING PRODUCTS FOR DIVERSIFICATION

Find new products to diversify your business
1. TOP PRODUCTS TO DIVERSIFY YOUR BUSINESS
2. BEST SELLING PRODUCTS
3. MOST USED PRODUCTS
4. MOST TRADED PRODUCTS
5. The most profitable products for export
5. MOST PROMISING DELIVERY COUNTRIES

Choose the best countries to build your sustainable supply chain
1. TOP COUNTRIES TO SOURCE YOUR PRODUCT
2. TOP PRODUCTION COUNTRIES
3. TOP EXPORTING COUNTRIES
4. Low-cost export countries
6. MOST PROMISING OVERSEAS MARKETS

Choose the best countries to increase your exports
1. Top markets abroad to export your product
2. TOP CONSUMER MARKETS
3. Unsaturated markets
4. TOP IMPORT MARKETS
5. MOST PROFITABLE MARKETS
7. PRODUCTION

The latest trends and insights into the industry
1. PRODUCTION QUANTITY AND VALUE: HISTORICAL DATA (2012-2025) AND FORECAST (2026-2035)
2. PRODUCTION BY COUNTRY: HISTORICAL DATA (2012-2025) AND FORECAST (2026-2035)
8. IMPORTS

The largest import supply countries
1. IMPORTS: HISTORICAL DATA (2012-2025) AND FORECAST (2026-2035)
2. IMPORTS BY COUNTRY: HISTORICAL DATA (2012-2025) AND FORECAST (2026-2035)
3. IMPORT PRICES BY COUNTRY: HISTORICAL DATA (2012-2025) AND FORECAST (2026-2035)
9. EXPORTS

The largest export destinations
1. EXPORTS: HISTORICAL DATA (2012-2025) AND FORECAST (2026-2035)
2. EXPORTS BY COUNTRY: HISTORICAL DATA (2012-2025) AND FORECAST (2026-2035)
3. EXPORT PRICES BY COUNTRY: HISTORICAL DATA (2012-2025) AND FORECAST (2026-2035)
10. PROFILES OF THE MAIN MANUFACTURERS

The largest manufacturers on the market and their profiles
11. COUNTRY PROFILES

The largest markets and their profiles

This chapter is only available for the Professional Edition
PER
1. 11.1
  
  United States
  - Market size
  - production
  - Imports
  - Exports
2. 11.2
  
  China
  - Market size
  - production
  - Imports
  - Exports
3. 11.3
  
  Japan
  - Market size
  - production
  - Imports
  - Exports
4. 11.4
  
  Germany
  - Market size
  - production
  - Imports
  - Exports
5. 11.5
  
  United Kingdom
  - Market size
  - production
  - Imports
  - Exports
6. 11.6
  
  France
  - Market size
  - production
  - Imports
  - Exports
7. 11.7
  
  Brazil
  - Market size
  - production
  - Imports
  - Exports
8. 11.8
  
  Italy
  - Market size
  - production
  - Imports
  - Exports
9. 11.9
  
  Russian Federation
  - Market size
  - production
  - Imports
  - Exports
10. 11.10
  
  India
  - Market size
  - production
  - Imports
  - Exports
11. 11.11
  
  Canada
  - Market size
  - production
  - Imports
  - Exports
12. 11.12
  
  Australia
  - Market size
  - production
  - Imports
  - Exports
13. 11.13
  
  Republic of Korea
  - Market size
  - production
  - Imports
  - Exports
14. 11.14
  
  Spain
  - Market size
  - production
  - Imports
  - Exports
15. 11.15
  
  Mexico
  - Market size
  - production
  - Imports
  - Exports
16. 11.16
  
  Indonesia
  - Market size
  - production
  - Imports
  - Exports
17. 11.17
  
  Netherlands
  - Market size
  - production
  - Imports
  - Exports
18. 11.18
  
  turkey
  - Market size
  - production
  - Imports
  - Exports
19. 11.19
  
  Saudi Arabia
  - Market size
  - production
  - Imports
  - Exports
20. 11.20
  
  Switzerland
  - Market size
  - production
  - Imports
  - Exports
21. 11.21
  
  Sweden
  - Market size
  - production
  - Imports
  - Exports
22. 11.22
  
  Nigeria
  - Market size
  - production
  - Imports
  - Exports
23. 11.23
  
  Poland
  - Market size
  - production
  - Imports
  - Exports
24. 11.24
  
  Belgium
  - Market size
  - production
  - Imports
  - Exports
25. 11.25
  
  Argentina
  - Market size
  - production
  - Imports
  - Exports
26. 11.26
  
  Norway
  - Market size
  - production
  - Imports
  - Exports
27. 11.27
  
  Austria
  - Market size
  - production
  - Imports
  - Exports
28. 11.28
  
  Thailand
  - Market size
  - production
  - Imports
  - Exports
29. 11.29
  
  United Arab Emirates
  - Market size
  - production
  - Imports
  - Exports
30. 11.30
  
  Colombia
  - Market size
  - production
  - Imports
  - Exports
31. 11.31
  
  Denmark
  - Market size
  - production
  - Imports
  - Exports
32. 11.32
  
  South Africa
  - Market size
  - production
  - Imports
  - Exports
33. 11.33
  
  Malaysia
  - Market size
  - production
  - Imports
  - Exports
34. 11.34
  
  Israel
  - Market size
  - production
  - Imports
  - Exports
35. 11.35
  
  Singapore
  - Market size
  - production
  - Imports
  - Exports
36. 11.36
  
  Egypt
  - Market size
  - production
  - Imports
  - Exports
37. 11.37
  
  Philippines
  - Market size
  - production
  - Imports
  - Exports
38. 11.38
  
  Finland
  - Market size
  - production
  - Imports
  - Exports
39. 11.39
  
  Chile
  - Market size
  - production
  - Imports
  - Exports
40. 11.40
  
  Ireland
  - Market size
  - production
  - Imports
  - Exports
41. 11.41
  
  Pakistan
  - Market size
  - production
  - Imports
  - Exports
42. 11.42
  
  Greece
  - Market size
  - production
  - Imports
  - Exports
43. 11.43
  
  Portugal
  - Market size
  - production
  - Imports
  - Exports
44. 11.44
  
  Kazakhstan
  - Market size
  - production
  - Imports
  - Exports
45. 11.45
  
  Algeria
  - Market size
  - production
  - Imports
  - Exports
46. 11.46
  
  Czech Republic
  - Market size
  - production
  - Imports
  - Exports
47. 11.47
  
  Qatar
  - Market size
  - production
  - Imports
  - Exports
48. 11.48
  
  Peru
  - Market size
  - production
  - Imports
  - Exports
49. 11.49
  
  Romania
  - Market size
  - production
  - Imports
  - Exports
50. 11.50
  
  Vietnam
  - Market size
  - production
  - Imports
  - Exports
LIST OF TABLES
1. Key findings in 2025
2. Market volume, in physical terms: historical data (2012-2025) and forecast (2026-2035)
3. Market Value: Historical Data (2012-2025) and Forecast (2026-2035)
4. Per capita consumption by country, 2022-2025
5. Production, in physical terms, by country: historical data (2012-2025) and forecast (2026-2035)
6. Imports, in physical terms, by country: historical data (2012-2025) and forecast (2026-2035)
7. Imports by value by country: historical data (2012-2025) and forecast (2026-2035)
8. Import prices by country: historical data (2012-2025) and forecast (2026-2035)
9. Exports, in physical terms, by country: historical data (2012-2025) and forecast (2026-2035)
10. Exports, by value, by country: historical data (2012-2025) and forecast (2026-2035)
11. Export prices by country: historical data (2012-2025) and forecast (2026-2035)
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
1. Market volume, in physical terms: historical data (2012-2025) and forecast (2026-2035)
2. Market Value: Historical Data (2012-2025) and Forecast (2026-2035)
3. Consumption by country, 2025
4. Market volume forecast until 2035
5. Market value forecast until 2035
6. Market size and growth by product
7. Average per capita consumption, by product
8. Exports and growth by product
9. Export prices and growth by product
10. Production volume and growth
11. Exports and growth
12. Export prices and growth
13. Market size and growth
14. Per capita consumption
15. Imports and growth
16. Import prices
17. Production in physical terms: historical data (2012-2025) and forecast (2026-2035)
18. Production, by value: historical data (2012-2025) and forecast (2026-2035)
19. Production by country, 2025
20. Production, in physical terms, by country: historical data (2012-2025) and forecast (2026-2035)
21. Imports in physical terms: historical data (2012-2025) and forecast (2026-2035)
22. Imports by value: historical data (2012-2025) and forecast (2026-2035)
23. Imports, physical, by country, 2025
24. Imports, in physical terms, by country: historical data (2012-2025) and forecast (2026-2035)
25. Imports by value by country: historical data (2012-2025) and forecast (2026-2035)
26. Import prices by country: historical data (2012-2025) and forecast (2026-2035)
27. Exports in physical terms: historical data (2012-2025) and forecast (2026-2035)
28. Exports, by value: historical data (2012-2025) and forecast (2026-2035)
29. Exports, physical, by country, 2025
30. Exports, in physical terms, by country: historical data (2012-2025) and forecast (2026-2035)
31. Exports, by value, by country: historical data (2012-2025) and forecast (2026-2035)
32. Export prices by country: historical data (2012-2025) and forecast (2026-2035)

Buy now

1. INTRODUCTION

2. SUMMARY

3. MARKET OVERVIEW

4. MOST PROMISING PRODUCTS FOR DIVERSIFICATION

5. MOST PROMISING DELIVERY COUNTRIES

6. MOST PROMISING OVERSEAS MARKETS

7. PRODUCTION

8. IMPORTS

9. EXPORTS

10. PROFILES OF THE MAIN MANUFACTURERS

11. COUNTRY PROFILES

LIST OF TABLES

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS