AI boom and data center expansion could generate massive e-waste by 2050, report warns

A new report from the Basel Action Network (BAN) warns that the rapid expansion of AI infrastructure could lead to a significant surge in electronic waste. Between 2025 and 2050, retired AI hardware is projected to contribute up to 617 million tonnes of e-waste, enough to circle the Earth six times. The report highlights that current industry estimates often overlook 87% of data center hardware, focusing only on servers and accelerators while ignoring essential components like cooling, power distribution, and networking. With AI hardware requiring more frequent replacement cycles—roughly every 2.5 years compared to the standard five to seven—the environmental impact is compounding. BAN emphasizes that as global data center capacity grows, the industry must prioritize longer-lasting equipment design and improved recycling strategies to mitigate the looming environmental crisis caused by the insatiable demand for AI compute power.