International E-Waste Day – 14 October 2021
Consumer is the key to Circular Economy!
According to the UN, in 2021 each person on the planet will produce on average 7.6 kg of e-waste, meaning that a massive 57.4 million tonnes will be generated worldwide. Only 17.4 per cent of this electronic waste containing a mixture of harmful substances and precious materials will be recorded as being properly collected, treated and recycled. Many initiatives are taken to tackle this growing concern, but none of them can be fully effective without the active role and correct education of consumers. This year’s International E-Waste Day will focus on the crucial part each of us has in making circularity a reality for e-products.
The Coronavirus outbreak has had a perceptible effect on our use of electronics and digital solutions, with people relying on e-products to keep them connected with work colleagues and in their family and social life. This has not only meant a greater use of technology in the home, it has also lead to an increase in the consumption of e-products. According to a study commissioned by the European Parliament, in European Union the demand for personal computers and tablets rose by 4.6% year-on-year until December 2020. In this context it is even more important to make users aware of the options that exist for their end-of-life equipment.
In the past editions of International E-Waste Day, the activities of WEEE Forum members and other participants ranged from conferences and events, through school and city collection campaigns to competitions and games. In the 2020 edition lots of creativity was shown to raise awareness in accordance with restrictions and many great online (and physical where possible) activities took place (see here the details of the last edition).
