Only a third of Europe's electronic waste is properly recycled, with vast numbers of cellphones, computers and televisions illegally traded or dumped, a study led by the United Nations and Interpol said on Sunday.
Sweden and Norway were close to the European targets of collecting and recycling 85 percent of all electrical and electronic waste. Romania, Spain and Cyprus were at the bottom of the ranking with less than 20 percent, it said.
European rules demand the recycling of "e-waste" — products with a plug or a battery — to recover metals such as gold and silver and to avoid release of toxins such as lead and mercury.