The project "Behind the tech-xtures" by Mexican material designer Andrea De la Peña visualises the complexity of e-waste production and uncovers the stories behind it: E-waste is currently the fastest growing type of waste: worldwide, we produce around 50 million tonnes of e-waste, of which just 17.4% is properly collected and recycled. The term "electrical and electronic waste" is mostly used for used electrical appliances, although these only make up around 2 to 3 % of all e-waste. The majority consists of waste generated during extraction, manufacturing, transport and production, which is associated with high levels of hazardous chemicals, greenhouse gas emissions and water loss.

In addition to the environmental damage, these industrial processes and the accumulation of e-waste also have social consequences, as they affect the people in the neighbourhood, who are mainly low-income groups, and the habitat nearby.

Through material studies, installations and interviews with experts, "Behind the Tech-xtures" shows the various phases and interactions between the international players in the production and disposal of electronic devices.

Andrea De la Peña is a Mexican material designer and researcher. She completed a technical degree in graphic design at the Instituto Politécnico Nacional and then studied industrial design at the Centro de Diseño, Cine y Televisión in Mexico City. Andrea De la Peña leads the project "Sustrato", which explores the use of industrial waste from pineapples in the production of biomaterials and is one of the winners of the No Waste Challenge by What Design Can Do. Her work has been shown in various museums and exhibitions, such as the Franz Mayer Museum (2022), the Dutch Design Week (2019) and the Dubai Design Week (2019).