What does this e-waste calculator estimate?

It estimates annual or project e-waste mass, how much is reused, recycled, disposed, or handled by certified recyclers, plus a screening-level CO2e benefit using editable factors.

Are the CO2e results suitable for formal reporting?

No. The default CO2e factors are planning assumptions. Formal greenhouse gas reports should use device-specific lifecycle data, local recycler data, and the accounting method required by the reporting program.

Why does reuse get a separate credit?

Reuse or refurbishment can extend a device's life and may avoid manufacturing a replacement device. The credit is highly case-specific, so the calculator keeps it editable.

Is any device or business data uploaded?

No. The calculator runs locally in your browser and does not send inputs to a server.

E-Waste Recycling Impact Calculator

Estimate the landfill diversion, screening CO2e benefit, reusable equipment, and recoverable metals from collecting used electronics. Everything runs locally in your browser.

Last updatedJune 30, 2026

Core methodDevice mass x route share x editable factor

BenchmarksEPA laptop energy and USGS phone metals

PrivacyNo server upload or input tracking

Inputs

Device inventory

Device type	Quantity	Average weight (kg)	Reuse / refurbish (%)	Recycle materials (%)	Certified recycler share (%)
Phones
Laptops
Tablets
Desktop towers
Monitors / TVs
Printers / scanners
Small electronics
Custom item

Disposal share is calculated as 100% minus reuse and recycling. Keep reuse + recycling at or below 100% for each row.

Scenario and factors

Scenario label Reporting period Result mass unit

Reuse credit (kg CO2e/kg reused) Recycling credit (kg CO2e/kg recycled) Collection/process emissions (kg CO2e/kg collected) Report scale

Default CO2e factors are screening assumptions only. Replace them with product-specific LCA, recycler, or inventory factors when accuracy matters.

Results

Enter device counts, then calculate.

What This Calculator Estimates

This tool compares what happens to unwanted electronics in a reuse and recycling program. It estimates total e-waste mass, the mass kept in use, the mass sent to material recycling, disposal left over, and a screening-level climate benefit after collection and processing emissions.

Total device mass = quantity x average device weight Reused mass = total mass x reuse/refurbish share Recycled mass = total mass x material recycling share Disposal mass = total mass x (1 - reuse share - recycling share)

Screening CO2e benefit = reused mass x reuse credit + recycled mass x recycling credit - collected mass x process emissions

Certified recycler mass = reused/recycled mass x certified recycler share

Treat the CO2e result as a planning estimate, not a certified carbon inventory, hazardous-waste determination, or recycler audit.

Assumptions and Sources

Reuse is modeled separately because extending product life can avoid some replacement manufacturing, but the real credit varies by device condition, second-life duration, and buyer behavior.
Recycling credit represents avoided virgin material production. Electronics vary widely in metals, plastics, glass, batteries, and circuit boards, so the default is editable.
Phone metal recovery uses USGS/EPA benchmark values for one million recycled cell phones: 35,000 lb copper, 772 lb silver, 75 lb gold, and 33 lb palladium.
Laptop energy-equivalent savings use EPA's benchmark that recycling one million laptops saves energy equivalent to the electricity used by more than 3,500 U.S. homes in a year.
Certified recycler share is informational. EPA describes R2 and e-Stewards as accredited standards for safe electronics recycling and data destruction practices.
Global context: the Global E-waste Monitor 2024 reported 62 million tonnes of e-waste generated in 2022 and 22.3% documented as properly collected and recycled.

References: EPA Electronics Donation and Recycling, EPA Certified Electronics Recyclers, USGS Recycled Cell Phones fact sheet, and Global E-waste Monitor 2024.

FAQs

Should reuse count as recycling?

Reuse and refurbishment are usually better modeled separately. A reused device may avoid some new-device production, while recycling recovers materials after a device can no longer be used.

Why does the calculator ask for certified recycler share?

Certification does not create a simple CO2e multiplier, but it matters for safe handling, downstream accountability, worker protection, and data destruction. The calculator reports the mass handled through certified channels.

What should I do with batteries?

Follow the recycler's instructions. EPA notes that batteries may need separate recycling and that lithium-ion batteries and devices containing them should not go in household garbage or normal recycling bins.

Can I use this for a corporate sustainability report?

Use it as a transparent screening estimate. Formal reporting should use documented device weights, vendor certificates, actual downstream routes, and approved emission factors for your reporting framework.

Why are the default CO2e factors editable?

Electronics differ by model, material mix, repairability, and recycling process. Editable factors make the calculation auditable when you have better data.