New European statistics showed that the amount of electrical and electronic equipment entering the EU market continued to exceed the volume collected as electronic waste.
In 2024, an average of 32.4 kilograms of electrical and electronic equipment per person entered the market, compared with 12.3 kilograms per person collected as electronic waste. The figures do not imply that products purchased in the same year were immediately discarded.
Between 2015 and 2024, the quantity of new equipment placed on the market rose considerably, reflecting demand for household appliances, digital devices and other electrical products.
The data reinforce the importance of repair, reuse, proper collection and recycling, particularly because electronic products contain both hazardous substances and valuable materials that can be recovered.
