Viewpoint: Electronics are everywhere. circularity should be too

With the global electronics industry now responsible for one-fifth of world trade, we have an opportunity, and arguably, an obligation, to lead the shift. Circularity must be embedded across the entire value chain: how we design components, train the next generation of talent, and create systems. [Source: Global Electronics Association report: Global Electronics Trade in an Age of Disruption June 2025]Emerging solutions such as AI-assisted sorting, desoldering technologies, and labelling frameworks are making it easier to reclaim components safely and efficiently. [Source: Global Electronics Association report: Global Electronics Trade in an Age of Disruption June 2025] Gaps still remain, however. Dr John W Mitchell is president and CEO, Global Electronics Association (formerly the IPC).