Strengthening Circularity in the Electronics Sector in Mexico: Leveraging Strategic Partnerships and Technological Innovation for Regional Synergy
By UNEP-IETC in collaboration with Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources
Overview
Waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) is one of the fastest-growing waste streams globally. It poses significant environmental and public health risks, but also represents an important opportunity for resource recovery. In Mexico, the rapid accumulation of e-waste, driven by rising consumption and the increasing use of plastic in electronic products, alongside limited management infrastructure, presents urgent challenges requiring coordinated action.
In response, the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), through the International Environmental Technology Centre (IETC) and in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT), is implementing a project to strengthen the integrated management of WEEE and support Mexico's transition towards a circular economy in the electronics sector. The project is supported by the Government of Japan.
Objective
The project aimes to establish a comprehensive and integrated framework for the environmentally sound management of e-waste in Mexico. It supports the country's transition towards a circular economy by addressing the environmental, economic and social challenges associated with electronic waste and resource inefficiency through sustainable strategies.
To achieve this, the project covered four core areas:
- Updating the national inventory on e-waste generation across Mexico, establishing a baseline aligned with international methodologies
- Conducting a preliminary assessment of the existing legal and regulatory framework at federal, state, and municipal levels
- Designing an integrated circular economy roadmap proposal for the electrical and electronic sector, covering the full lifecycle of products
- Establishing strategic partnerships with key national and international stakeholders to support coordinated action
A gender-responsive approach is integrated across all project components to promote inclusive participation and equitable outcomes.
Context
As a major hub for electronics manufacturing, trade and consumption, Mexico is now facing growing challenges in the form of increasing e-waste, informal recycling and limited waste management infrastructure. The increasing use of plastics in electronic products further complicates recycling efforts and poses greater environmental risks.
During project implementation, the evolving institutional landscape emphasised the need for greater coordination between different levels of governance. Adopting the General Law on the Circular Economy also created new opportunities to align project results with Mexico’s emerging circular economy framework.
Project Duration
September 2025 – March 2026
Key Results
The project has contributed to advancing the foundations for circular electronics in Mexico through the following outcomes:
- Strategic partnerships established with national and international stakeholders, including the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) and the UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), as well as outreach events with National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), the private sector, and civil society organizations.
- Comprehensive legal framework assessment conducted across federal, state, and municipal levels, identifying a key regulatory challenge: a fundamental discrepancy in the classification of WEEE between national legislation and the Basel Convention, with implications for logistics, compliance costs, and legal certainty across the value chain
- Circular economy roadmap proposal developed, outlining priority actions to strengthen sectoral circularity, improve traceability, and build a more preventive and efficient system for the management of electrical and electronic materials in Mexico
Collaborative Workshop: Towards a Better Comprehensive Management of Electrical and Electronic Waste in Mexico (Feb 2026)
Dialogue with the private sector on circular electronics (Feb 2026)
Way Forward
Building on the project's findings, the following priority areas have been identified for future action:
- Strengthening national WEEE data systems and monitoring capacity
- Advancing implementation of the circular economy regulatory framework, including alignment with the General Law on Circular Economy
- Promoting investment through targeted incentives, financing mechanisms, and reduced regulatory uncertainty
- Enhancing traceability through digital tools and reporting systems
- Supporting capacity-building and awareness-raising across the electronics value chain
- Fostering sustained multi-stakeholder collaboration as a long-term exercise in political and technical dialogue
These efforts will be critical to translating policy commitments into concrete actions and scaling up circular electronics solutions in Mexico.
Resources
- Workshop with SEMARNAT (SEMARNAT)
- Dialogue with the private sector (UNEP)
- Conversatorio: Circularidad del sector electrónico en México: Hacia un marco integral de atención a los residuos eléctricos y electrónicos (UNEP–UNAM)
Contact
Takehiro Nakamura
Head, International Environmental Technology Centre (IETC), UNEP
takehiro.nakamura@un.org
Minseo Ju
Sustainable Electronics Expert
minseo.ju@un.org
Ramon Jimenez Galicia
Associate Programme Officer, UNEP
ramon.jimenezgalicia@un.org
