A new study by recycling campaign group Material Focus has found that households in the UK are stockpiling more unused electrical items than ever before. According to the report, we have gone from hoarding an average of 20 items to 30 in the last four years. The top ten products found in such stashes include remote controls, mobile phones and hairdryers. Material Focus is urging people to clear out these “drawers of doom” since electronic waste is rising five times quicker than documented recycling.
The group estimates that over 880 million unused electronic items are currently held in homes across the country. The report reveals that trashed electronics should not be thrown into the general waste, but recycled instead as the metals found within electrical items, including copper, lithium batteries and gold, can be reused and are essential for the green technology of the future. In fact, an estimated £1 billion worth of valuable materials are present within such items, making them a valuable resource.
One way to extend the life of unused electrical items is to share them. For instance, Share Bristol is a Library of Things that loans out items like sanders, hedge trimmers and popcorn makers to people who won’t require them every day. By donating redundant electronics to organizations such as these, they can find new homes, once they have been wiped of data. Even obsolete laptops can be used by others, given they are wiped of personal information beforehand.
The Material Focus report suggests that, instead of micromanaging unused electronic items, people should consider reducing these numbers in the first place. Households throw away 103,000 tonnes of electricals instead of recycling them, the report’s authors found. Material Focus also estimates that 343,000 tonnes of electrical waste is being illegally exported or stolen from within the recycling system. Recycling and properly disposing of electronics will lead to less pollution, less waste and fewer greenhouse gas emissions.
The findings of this report highlight the issue of electronic waste, which has become a growing concern for environmentalists in recent years. According to the United Nations, electronic waste is rising five times quicker than documented recycling, indicating the severity of the problem. With new technologies being released every day and people regularly updating their gadgets, recycling electronic items will be crucial to maintaining the health of the planet and preserving valuable resources
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