BERLIN The world's mountain of discarded flat-screen TVs, cellphones and other electronic goods grew to a record high last year, according to an annual report released Thursday. The U.N.-backed study estimated the amount of e-waste that piled up globally in 2019 at 53.6 metric tonnes (59.1 tons) almost 2 million metric tons more than the previous year. While about a sixth of it was recycled, the remainder of those valuable components worth about $57 billion weren't reclaimed, the study found. Discarded electronic equipment also poses a health and environmental hazard, as it contains substances such as mercury that can damage the nervous system. The authors of the study, which is produced by the U.N. University, the International Solid Waste Association and others, predicted that global e-waste could grow to 74 million metric tons by 2030.