ERA is a non-profit organization based in Graz, Austria.
Problems
What are the problems?
Per capita, each EU citizen produces 10.5 kilograms of e-waste annually. In total, this is 4.7 million tons! If this electronic waste were loaded onto trucks stuck in a traffic jam, it would stretch from Berlin to Barcelona.
Manufacturers are increasingly restricting the possibilities for simple repairs. Bonded batteries and soldered storage systems are now standard and prevent consumers from having repairs repaired themselves or by qualified third-party workshops.
The potential resistance from consumers and companies is a challenge that we are aware of. Some consumers may see the repair levy as an additional financial burden, while businesses may have concerns about the impact on their profits.
To overcome this resistance, it is important to clearly communicate the benefits of the repair levy and show how it can benefit both consumers and businesses in the long term. This can be achieved through targeted awareness campaigns, convincing case studies and successful examples from other regions or sectors.
In addition, incentives and support measures can be offered to consumers and businesses to facilitate the transition to the new system and reduce resistance. Through a collaborative approach and dialogue with all parties involved, we can address potential concerns and find solutions together to minimize resistance to the repair levy.
The hurdles for repairs are far too high! Repairs of uninsured equipment can quickly reach four-digit amounts. Expensive equipment insurance policies often only pay in the event of third-party negligence and require original proof of purchase.
Instead of repairing electronics, it is often cheaper and faster to purchase a new device. In 2022 alone, over 715 million new consumer electronics devices were sold in the EU. That's 1.6 devices per capita.
Consequences
Impact
The production of new devices results in increased energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, which exacerbate climate change.
Environmental damage
1.5 million truckloads of e-waste (62 million tons) end up in scrapyards worldwide every year. Inadequate recycling pollutes entire landscapes, poisoning groundwater and living beings.
Waste of resources
Precious metals or rare earths contained in the devices are not recycled. With the help of expensive, complex and inhumane measures, new raw materials have to be mined and extracted.