This is the impact of always buying new, instead of repairing your broken electronics. The amount of electrical and electronic equipment put on the market in the EU rose from 8.0 million tonnes in 2015 to a peak of 14.6 million tonnes in 2024 – an increase of 82% over the 2015-2024 period. During the same time period, the quantity of e-waste collected increased from 3.2 million tonnes in 2015 to 5.5 million tonnes in 2024, a 72% rise. But a small fix can give your broken electronic item a second life and help reduce e-waste. Old phones, tangled cables, that broken Christmas LED decoration… sometimes, all they need is a little care to keep going. And when repair is no longer an option, recycle responsibly. Every small device with a plug, cable or a battery, no matter how little or inexpensive, requires proper treatment at the end of its life. They may look like clutter, but they’re rich in valuable materials that could be used in the production of new products: 🔋 Cobalt, lithium and graphite (for batteries) 🧲 Rare earth elements (for magnets) 📱 Indium (for touchscreens) ⚡ Gallium and germanium (for semiconductors) 🔌 Tantalum (for capacitors) When these (sometimes toxic) materials aren’t disposed of properly, they can harm both the environment and our health. Do not chuck them in the general bin.