Stockpiles of Unused Electronic Devices in UK Households Unveiled

The online survey carried out recently by Ipsos MORI on behalf of the Royal Society of Chemistry reveals that UK households are stockpiled with millions of unused electronic devices. Also, majority of the respondents were found to have no plans to recycle or sell their devices after their useful life.

According to the survey, 51% of UK households have at least one unused electronic device at home. 45% have between two and five. Also, 25% have an unused laptop, whereas 23% have an unused mobile phone at their home. Surprisingly, 69% of the households having unused electronic devices intend to store them as a spare. Only 18% had the intention of recycling them. Also, 14% intended to sell them.

The survey revealed that 52% of the adults in the age group of 16-24 had 10 or more electronic devices at their home. The percentage of people having 10 or more devices in the age groups 35-44 and 55-75 stood at 39 and 30 respectively.

Out of the good majority who intended not to recycle electronic devices, 37% expressed concerns about data and security, whereas 29% were found not even aware of where to recycle old electronic items.

A total of 2,353 adults in the UK aged between 16 and 75 participated in the online survey that was conducted between 18th and 22nd of January, 2019.

As per estimates, nearly half-a-million tonnes of e-waste are recycled in the UK every year, but that accounts for only a fraction of the electronic waste that ends up in landfills or stored in households.