Digital waste: an invisible and threatening factor for the environment

In the digital era, environmental sustainability is increasingly influenced not only by physical waste but also by intangible by-products of the information age, commonly referred to as digital waste. While the global community has gradually recognized the environmental consequences of electronic waste (e-waste), including obsolete devices and toxic components, there remains a significant underestimation of the risks posed by digital data accumulation — unnecessary, redundant, and obsolete data stored on personal and institutional devices, cloud platforms, and data centers. This paper addresses the multifaceted nature of digital waste, its causes, environmental implications, and strategies for sustainable digital behavior.

Digital waste emerges at the intersection of technological innovation and consumption culture. It includes unused files, spam, system caches, and outdated backups that continue to consume resources. Although digital in nature, such waste demands large amounts of electricity and water for storage and cooling, contributing to emissions and environmental degradation. Data centers alone consumed up to 340 TWh in 2022. The study outlines types of planned obsolescence — moral, physical, and software — that accelerate e-waste production.

The paper also explores the lifecycle of a deleted file, highlighting that deletion does not mean elimination. Data may remain recoverable until overwritten. This persistence contributes to digital overload and increases storage-related emissions. Furthermore, unequal e-waste generation across countries highlights global digital injustice, with developing regions often bearing the disposal burden.

Key solutions include promoting digital hygiene, responsible storage practices, and legislative initiatives that target excessive data use and cloud emissions.

Keywords: digital waste, electronic waste, sustainable development, digital hygiene, planned obsolescence, information security, environmental awareness, data sets, digital ecosystem.

doi: 10.32403/0554-4866-2025-1-89-119-128