Research reveals 500 million cheap electronic devices are thrown away in UK landfills every year

October 12, 2023

Research shows that around 500 million small, inexpensive everyday appliances, from headphones to portable fans, ended up in landfill in the UK last year.

Material Focus, the non-profit organization that carried out the study, said the scale of the problem was huge and it wanted to encourage more recycling.

Last year alone he bought over 500 million pieces of low-cost electronic equipment in the UK. That's 16 points per second. Material Focus results showed that 471 million of these items were discarded. This includes a 260 meter disposable vaporizer, 26 meters of cable, 29 meters of LED, solar and decorative lights, a 9.8 meter USB stick, and a 4.8 meter mini fan.

Scott Butler, Managing Director of Material Focus, described this as ``fast technology.'' "People should think carefully about purchasing even more frivolous items," he said, noting that the items purchased were often "cheap and small" and consumers were concerned about the valuables they could save. He said they may not be aware that the substance is present. Through recycling.

Small electrical equipment may contain valuable materials such as copper, lithium, and stainless steel. These parts can be recycled and used in wind turbines, medical equipment, and electric vehicles. According to Material Focus, while people were accustomed to recycling large electronics such as refrigerators, many small appliances were left unused in homes.

Research shows that the average UK household has 4-5 charging cables, 2-3 mobile phones, 2-3 remote controls and a clogged cupboard.