Rifiuti informatici, inquinamento digitale. Il lato insostenibile della 4a rivoluzione industriale

Abstract

This paper is devoted to the electronic waste and the digital pollution topic. Firstly, concerning the e-waste, we are going to see its origin, the directions of its disposal, and if there is any possibility of recovery. Secondly, we are going to see the digital pollution. The data exchanged in internet leave a footprint not only in terms of Big Data but also in terms of the CO2 emissions. Millions of physical servers in data centers around the world, are connected with miles of undersea cables, and with switches and routers. All of them require a lot of energy to run. Finally, we will examine what measures governments can promote to manage the digital and ecological transitions. The challenge is to implement the digitalization process in the sense of sustainability according to the EU economic and social policies.