Electronic waste worth 65 billion euros

The report highlights the significant value of unused raw material resources found in old household appliances and recreational electronics within the European Union, estimated at over 65 billion euros. Annually, approximately 1.6 million tons of vital and strategic materials are used in new devices, often sourced from outside the EU, especially from China, which dominates the supply of rare earth elements. The European industry faces substantial risks due to geopolitical dependence and rising raw material costs resulting from restrictions and crises. The study indicates that the collection rate of electronic waste in Europe is low (43%), with around 700 million unused phones accumulating, containing approximately 50,000 tons of critical materials. Poor waste management leads to the wastage of valuable metals. The study recommends designing devices based on the "cradle to cradle" principle, making them easy to disassemble, repair, and reuse. This approach could potentially save up to 50% of the raw materials needed to produce new devices, especially for large household appliances like washing machines.

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