Developing countries must improve their methods of disposing of old cellphones, computers and other consumer products, as their levels of electronic waste products soar over the next decade, says a new report.

The United Nations Environment Programme says sales of electronic products will soar in many developing countries by 2020, creating a massive e-waste junk accumulation in places with underdeveloped e-recycling capabilities. Even today, the amount of e-waste is growing at an estimated 40 million tons each year.

China and India are two of the examples cited in the report, entitled "Recycling: From E-Waste to Resources":

In China, e-waste levels will grow well above the 2.3 million tonnes it produces today, according to UN estimates. By 2020, the Asian superpower will have between 200 and 400 per cent more e-waste than it did in 1997. It will also discard seven times as many cellphones and throw out up to twice the number of television sets than it previously did.

A similar picture emerges in India, where the general public will be throwing out 18 times the number of cellphones than they did in 1997. The number of discarded refrigerators could triple. Overall, the country will be tasked with getting rid of 500 per cent more e-waste than it did in the past.

While large developing countries deal with these challenges, the UN also predicts problems for places that serve as dumping grounds for the discarded electronic products of other countries -- China and India also import e-waste.

But the UN says there is a silver lining to the expected tidal wave of junked electronics.

"One person's waste can be another's raw material," said Konrad Osterwaler, the UN undersecretary-general and rector of United Nations University, in a statement released Monday.

In other words, there is money to be made in the proper recycling and disposal of e-waste.

Precious metals -- including Platinum, Palladium and Gold -- can be extracted from various electronic waste products, which make them lucrative to recover. However, these products also contain highly toxic substances that can pose health risks if not handled properly.

While some developing countries have some individual strengths in e-waste recycling, the UN report recommends establishing "innovation hubs and centres of excellence" to improve their overall capabilities in terms of technology and practices.

Osterwaler said the report prescribes policies and approaches to e-waste recycling that can help developing countries improve their carbon footprint, as well as their bottom line.

"The challenge of dealing with e-waste represents an important step in the transition to a green economy," he said.