Tech companies at CES 2026 in Las Vegas unveiled wearable health devices including glucose monitors, blood pressure trackers, and fitness trackers. A Cornell University and University of Chicago study projects annual demand reaching 2 billion units by 2050, or 42 times current levels, generating over a million tons of electronic waste and 100 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions if production methods remain unchanged.
The study, published in Nature, examines the environmental impact of these devices. Researchers analyzed the lifecycle contributions to waste and emissions, focusing on components that drive the majority of the footprint.
Printed circuit boards, described as the device’s “brain,” account for 70% of the carbon footprint. This dominance stems from intensive mining and manufacturing processes required for rare minerals used in their production.
To address these issues, the researchers propose two strategies. First, develop chips using common metals such as copper in place of rare minerals like gold. Second, design devices modularly to enable reuse of the circuit board while replacing only the outer casing.
- Strategy 1: Develop chips using common metals such as copper instead of rare minerals like gold.
- Strategy 2: Design devices modularly so the circuit board can be reused while only the outer casing is replaced.
A co-author of the study stated, “when these devices are deployed at global scale, small design choices add up quickly.” The projections highlight the scale of demand growth from current levels to 2 billion units annually by 2050.
