Wearable health devices could generate a million tons of e-waste by 2050

Las Vegas: This week, tech companies at CES 2026 are showing off new wearable health devices. These include glucose monitors, blood pressure trackers, and fitness trackers. But there’s a big problem that isn’t often talked about: these gadgets could create a massive amount of e-waste.

A study by Cornell University and the University of Chicago found that the demand for health wearables could reach 2 billion units a year by 2050. That is 42 times more than today! If we don’t change how these devices are made, they could produce over a million tons of electronic waste and 100 million tons of carbon dioxide. This is a real warning from the study’s authors.

Surprisingly, the study revealed that it’s not just plastic that is causing the issue. The printed circuit boards, which act like the “brains” of the devices, account for 70% of their carbon footprint. This is mostly due to heavy mining and manufacturing processes.

The researchers suggest two ways to solve this problem. First, they recommend using common metals like copper instead of rare minerals like gold. Second, they propose making devices modular so that the circuit board can be reused while the outer part is changed.

One of the co-authors of the study said, “When these devices are deployed at global scale, small design choices add up quickly.” This is something important to think about while looking at the announcements from CES.