Environment & Climate

Rapid expansion of AI data centers will triple global e-waste, report projects

The Guardian reports that expanding artificial intelligence infrastructure could dramatically increase toxic electronic waste over the next 25 years.

Updated Sep 16, 2026 · 11:54 UTC1 reports

The short version

A study projects that building AI data centers will cause annual toxic electronic waste to triple over the next 25 years.[The Guardian]
Hardware retirement driven by artificial intelligence could generate up to 13 million metric tonnes of electronic trash annually by 2030.[The Guardian]
Only one-fifth of global e-waste is currently properly managed, according to the Basel Action Network.[The Guardian]
It remains uncertain how tech firms and governments will handle the disposal of hardware containing hazardous materials.[The Guardian]

Building AI data centers is projected to triple annual toxic electronic waste generation globally over the next 25 years.[The Guardian]
AI-driven equipment retirement is estimated to reach up to 13 million metric tonnes of e-waste per year by 2030.[The Guardian]
Only 20% of global electronic waste is currently managed properly, according to the Basel Action Network.[The Guardian]
There are 4,871 new data centers in the construction pipeline within the United States.[The Guardian]
A McKinsey & Company report estimated nearly $7 trillion in capital outlays will be needed worldwide over five years for AI data centers.[The Guardian]

It is unconfirmed how many of the 4,871 planned U.S. data centers will be explicitly designated for artificial intelligence use.[The Guardian]

Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.