Recycle it all, no matter how small!
Small electrical and electronic products are easy to overlook when they reach the end of their useful life. Phones, electric toothbrushes, toys and cameras can end up in household waste or remain forgotten in drawers and cupboards, preventing their valuable materials from being recovered. For International E-Waste Day on 14 October 2022, EERA highlighted the importance of collecting and recycling these small electrical products responsibly.
The growing challenge of small e-waste
At the time, the UN estimates indicated that more than 22 million tonnes of small e-waste were generated worldwide, representing around 40% of global e-waste. In Europe, the publication reported that up to 1.4 kg of e-waste per person entered general waste bins each year, while an estimated 5 kg of electronic devices per person were being stored in European households.
When small electrical products are discarded with general waste, they may be landfilled or incinerated. This means valuable raw materials that could potentially be recovered through appropriate treatment are lost.
International E-Waste Day 2022
To mark the day, EERA invited its Members across Europe to take part in a photo competition highlighting the importance of responsible WEEE collection and recycling. The winning entry came from Ecoreset in Greece.
The message remains simple: small electrical products matter. Keep them out of general waste and within appropriate collection and recycling channels.
About the press release
Published for International E-Waste Day on 14 October 2022, this press release highlights the growing challenge of small electrical and electronic products being discarded incorrectly or stored unused in households. It also presents the results of EERA's International E-Waste Day photo competition, which invited Members across Europe to help raise awareness of responsible WEEE collection and recycling.
The winning photograph was submitted by Ecoreset in Greece, followed by Umicore in Belgium, with KMK Metals Recycling in Ireland and GreenWEEE in Romania sharing third place.
Read the full press release to see the other showcased entries and view the competition results.
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