{"id":1653,"date":"2020-07-09T16:11:35","date_gmt":"2020-07-09T14:11:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/repair.eu\/?p=1653"},"modified":"2022-07-27T17:47:17","modified_gmt":"2022-07-27T15:47:17","slug":"right-to-repair-needed-urgently-to-prevent-growing-quantities-of-electronic-waste","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/repair.eu\/sv\/news\/right-to-repair-needed-urgently-to-prevent-growing-quantities-of-electronic-waste\/","title":{"rendered":"Right to Repair needed urgently to prevent growing quantities of electronic waste"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In 2019, the world generated a striking 53.6 million tons of e-waste, an average of 7.3 kg per capita and the equivalent of 350 cruise ships the size of the Queen Mary 2. This statistics from the recently published \u201cGlobal e-waste monitor 2020<\/a>\u201d by the United Nations University highlights the gravity of the situation and the need for urgent action to mitigate one of the fastest growing waste stream on the planet. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not only is e-waste increasing year after year and projected to reach 74.7 million metric tons by 2030 which would come at extremely high environmental and health costs, it\u2019s also treated very differently depending on where it\u2019s generated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Europeans produce the most e-waste per capita in the world<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

While the largest contributor to e-waste in 2019 is Asia (24.9 Mt) followed by the Americas (13.1 Mt)  and Europe (12Mt), the old continent takes the first place when it comes to e-waste generation per capita. On average, Europeans produce 16.2kg a year while Asia and Africa generated just 5.6 and 2.5 kg per capita, respectively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While some of it is discarded in waste bins and incinerated or landfilled (around 8%), 17% is recycled and between 7-20% exported as second hand products or e-waste, the whereabouts of the rest of the waste generated in high income countries is unknown. Considering the significant health and environmental hazard posed by discarded electronic equipment, this is more than concerning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The growing amount of e-waste is mainly fueled by higher consumption rates, short life cycles, and few repair options<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Recent case studies<\/a> done by the European Environment Agency of four different electronic product groups show all have average actual lifetimes that are at least 2.3 years shorter than either their designed or desired lifetimes. A smartphone for instance lasts on average 2 years when Europeans would prefer to keep them for 5 years or more. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are many reasons for such short lifespan. From common design issues related to batteries to lack of software updates, our electronic products are often replaced before becoming completely out of use. And it doesn\u2019t help that some manufacturers are making repair increasingly difficult and expensive through monopolies on spare parts and lack of repair information. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

57% of Europeans<\/a> for instance declared not fixing their phones when they break because of a lack of affordable or available repair options.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Recycling can\u2019t keep up, we need the Right to Repair<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Meanwhile, the amount of e-waste properly collected and recycled in 2019 was 9.3 Mt which barely represents 17% of the total of the e-waste generated.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While recycling rate grew with 1.8 Mt since 2014, the total e-waste generation increased by 9.2 Mt over the same period. It clearly can\u2019t keep up with the quantity of waste we\u2019re generating, especially in Europe. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is why the Right to Repair European campaign made of 36 members from 14 countries is advocating for a universal Right to Repair that would lead to: <\/p>\n\n\n\n