Bitcoin Generates A Lot Of Waste Category Includes Cell Phones, PCs.

That's an average of 272 g (9.5 ounces) per transaction. For comparison: iPhone 13 weighs 173 grams. They check bitcoin transactions in exchange for the option to buy the digital currency. More currently than in the Philippines, the focus is on electricity consumption and the resulting greenhouse gas pollution.

But because the computers used in mining are outdated, a lot of e-waste is also created. Researchers estimate that Bitcoin mining devices have an average lifespan of only 1.29 years. As a result, the amount of e-waste generated is comparable to a country's "small IT and telecommunications equipment," according to Dutch researchers.

Drive efficiency

Since electricity is a significant cost factor for Bitcoin miners, they are looking for more efficient processors. This led to a shift towards highly specialized chips called application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs).

However, ASICs are so specialized that as they age, they cannot be "switched to different tasks or even different types of cryptocurrency extraction algorithms," the researchers wrote.

But while the chips are not reusable, most Bitcoin mining equipment consists of components such as "metal boxes and aluminum radiators" that can be recycled. Slightly more than 17% of all e-waste worldwide is recycled. However, in some countries where most miners are located, the numbers are likely to be lower, where in many cases, e-waste regulations are also poor.

Lack of chips

Many industries are struggling with a global chip shortage. The researchers say that not only is large amounts of e-waste generated, but "the rapid transport of millions of mining equipment could disrupt the global supply chain of various other electronic devices."

They suggest that one solution to the e-waste problem is to convert Bitcoins so that transactions are checked into other, less computerized systems.