More than two-thirds of British households are piling up old phone chargers at home – and the length-equivalent of these is enough to take you around the Earth five times. We’ve compiled surprising stats in this article that will throw some light on the UK electronic waste crisis. Let’s learn more about the e-waste problem and identify how each of us can help the environment.
The UK is one of the largest producers of e-waste in the world, with 23.9kg of e-waste on average produced per head, according to the Environmental Audit Committee’s report – that’s almost a third of an adult’s average body weight, which stands at 70.8 kg.
In just the first six months of 2021 alone the UK produced 148,134.09 tonnes of e-waste, the equivalent weight of 15 Eiffel Towers.
On the occasion of the UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26), we surveyed 2,000 UK residents to find out more about the extent of household e-waste production in the UK and how many are still unaware of how to safely dispose of cables, laptops, smartphones and more.
According to our data, Brits are hoarding up to 60 items of old, unused tech per household. Over two thirds (68%) are holding onto at least one old charger – and of these, more than one in 10 (12%) have three unused chargers taking up space in drawers, cupboards, basements and attics.
Along with old charging cables, laptops, smartphones, and mobile phones are also common pieces of tech Brits are holding onto despite not using them anymore. More than half of our survey respondents (52%) said they keep at least one unused laptop tucked away, while 51% have kept at least one smartphone that’s more than 5 years old.
A third (33%) know that most of the tech they’re hoarding isn’t in working condition, and one in 10 admit they are holding onto tech knowing none of it actually works.
The study has revealed there’s still much to be done to raise awareness of the issue of e-waste in the UK, and its effects on the environment.
Particularly for older generations, recycling old tech is a topic Brits seem to lack knowledge on – 38% of people aged 45-54 said they’ve never recycled tech before and don’t know how to.
Millennials are most in-the-know, with almost a third (31%) saying they’re confident in their knowledge of the matter and have recycled their old tech products several times.
There are many ways to dispose of electronics without having to contribute to landfill. You can donate to one of several charities and tech initiatives or use a professional recycling service to ensure your old devices are properly and safely disposed of.
