Brought to you by Giulia Iattoni and Tales Yamamoto from UNITAR
The growing accumulation of unused electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) in households is an emerging challenge with significant environmental and economic consequences. A data collection initiative led by the WEEE Forum across several European countries and Lebanon, highlights the scale of the issue. In 2022, this study surveyed 8,775 households to examine the extent of hoarding EEE and WEEE. Addressing this issue could drastically improve reuse and recycling, and contribute to a more sustainable economy.
Hoarding trends in Europe
The findings reveal that the average EU household owns 74 electrical items, representing approximately 90 million tons (Mt) of equipment across Europe. Out of these, 61 items are actively in use, while four items per household are hoarded but broken. This amounts to 3 Mt of appliances that could be repaired or handed over to WEEE collection schemes. In addition to this, nine working items, for a total of 7 Mt, are not being used, yet they have the potential to reduce the need for new electrical goods and minimize future WEEE generation if they were brought back into circulation.
Small electronic devices, such as laptops and kitchen equipment, are the most commonly hoarded items. Although small, these devices represent a large portion of hoarded WEEE by quantity. In contrast, larger items like washing machines and refrigerators, while less frequently hoarded, make up a significant portion of the total mass of WEEE when discarded.
Interestingly, the motivation for keeping unused EEE varies. The main reason cited by 46% of survey respondents was the belief that the item might be useful again in the future. Other common reasons included plans to sell or give away the item (15%), sentimental attachment (13%), and the perception that the item may increase in value (9%). A small portion of respondents (7%) admitted that they simply did not know how to dispose of these items properly.
National differences in hoarding rates
Hoarding behaviours also vary across different countries. Italy reported the highest hoarding rate, with 29% of small kitchen appliances, laptops, and tablets being stored rather than used or discarded. On the opposite end of the spectrum, Lebanon had the lowest hoarding rate at just 4%. This disparity is partly attributed to the socioeconomic context, with wealthier countries tending to hoard more compared to countries facing economic challenges, where people are more likely to repair broken items rather than hoard them while unused.
The urgency of recycling WEEE
Hoarding unused EEE is more than just a space issue; it has far-reaching environmental and economic impacts. Many of these unused items contain valuable materials that are in high demand for the energy transition to a decarbonized economy. This is the case for instance of copper, a crucial material employed in renewable energy technologies and electric vehicles.
Addressing the hoarding issue
The hoarding of EEE and WEEE is a complex issue that requires targeted awareness and action. People often keep items out of a misplaced sense of future usefulness, or because they are unaware of recycling options. Yet, proper disposal or recycling of these items could significantly alleviate the environmental burden caused by WEEE and support the circular economy.
As experts warn of imminent shortages in critical materials like copper, improving recycling and reuse practices can help mitigate supply risks and promote sustainability. Governments, industries, and households must work together to reduce the volume of hoarded WEEE and increase the rate of collection and recycling. Addressing this hidden stock of valuable resources could play a pivotal role in achieving environmental goals and reducing the need for environmentally impactful mining practices.
In conclusion, tackling the issue of WEEE hoarding is essential not only for environmental protection but also for making better use of the materials already in circulation. By encouraging more efficient recycling and reuse of old electrical items, we can reduce the demand for new resources and help move towards a more sustainable future.
Resources:
https://www.scycle.info/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Update-of-WEEE-Collection_web_final_nov_29.pdf