Electronic waste recycling rate in South Korea
South Korea: Electronic waste recycling rate was 44.1% in 2022. ▲ Rising
Electronic waste recycling rate in South Korea, 2005–2022
Source: United Nations Statistics Division and United Nations Environment Programme – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
South Korea recorded 44.1% for electronic waste recycling rate in 2022.
The figure is down 7.5% on the previous year and up 82.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, electronic waste recycling rate in South Korea peaked at 47.6% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 22.7%, in 2005.
That places South Korea 36th out of 41 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 14 years of available data.
Electronic waste recycling rate in South Korea, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 22.7% | — |
| 2010 | 26.5% | +16.7% |
| 2011 | 23.3% | -12.1% |
| 2012 | 24.2% | +4.0% |
| 2013 | 25.5% | +5.4% |
| 2014 | 30.1% | +18.1% |
| 2015 | 30.4% | +1.1% |
| 2016 | 36.5% | +19.9% |
| 2017 | 37.6% | +3.1% |
| 2018 | 39.9% | +5.9% |
| 2019 | 39.8% | -0.2% |
| 2020 | 45.6% | +14.7% |
| 2021 | 47.6% | +4.5% |
| 2022 | 44.1% | -7.5% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 44.1% is below the median for high income countries, which is 81.4%, 54% of the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 22.7% | 22.7% | 22.7% | 1 |
| 2010s | 31.4% | 23.3% | 39.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 45.8% | 44.1% | 47.6% | 3 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
More environment data for South Korea
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual -0.2791 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per unit 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), annual growth rate -2.27 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per unit of GDP 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) (Mt CO2e), annual -0.2415 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) (Mt CO2e), per unit of 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Fugitive Emissions (Energy) (Mt CO2e) 1.61 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is electronic waste recycling rate in South Korea?
- Electronic waste recycling rate in South Korea was 44.1% in 2022, according to United Nations Statistics Division and United Nations Environment Programme – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest electronic waste recycling rate recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 47.6% in 2021.
- What is the lowest electronic waste recycling rate recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 22.7% in 2005.
- How does South Korea rank for electronic waste recycling rate?
- South Korea ranks 36th out of 41 countries with data for 2022.
- Is electronic waste recycling rate rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 82.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division and United Nations Environment Programme – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Electronic waste recycling rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 14 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Proportion of electronic waste recycled (%).