From 22 to 30 November, Europe focuses on the European Week for Waste Reduction (EWWR). The largest campaign week for resource conservation pursues a clear goal: to raise awareness for the responisble use of limited resources.
Electronic devices are indispensable in our everyday lives – and for the energy transition. However, their growing use also increases the volume of electronic waste. E-Waste is the fastest growing waste stream in Europe, rising by around 2 percent annually. In 2022, approximately 14.4 million tonnes of electrical devices were sold in the EU. Only 5 million tonnes were collected, corresponding to 11.2 kg of E-Waste per person.
Focus on critical raw materials
In addition to environmentally harmful substances such as mercury, electronic devices contain valuable critical raw materials, including copper, aluminium, palladium and rare earth elements. According to the latest FutuRaM report (Future Availability of Secondary Raw Materials), Europe’s electronic waste contains around 1 million tonnes of critical raw materials annually. By 2050, this amount could double to 1.9 million tonnes. At the same time, the total volume of E-Waste is expected to rise to up to 19 million tonnes per year. The message is clear: recycling is a key lever for Europe’s resource security and for achieving the EU climate goals.
The three Rs as guiding principle
The EWWR follows a holistic approach based on three principles: Reduce (avoid waste), Reuse and Recycle. Waste should be avoided (Reduce) by making consumpting more conscious and developing products with longer service life. At the same time, the lifespan of devices should be extended by repairing or passing them on (Reuse) before they become waste. Finally, materials must be professionally recycled and reintroduced into the economic cycle (Recycle).
Europe as a pioneer
The campaign week brings circular economy in Europe to life: projects such as RecycleIT give disused IT devices a second life, Restart Parties promote community repairs, and the E6 project strengthens regional structures for reuse and refurbishment. Austria also sets a strong example for a successful circular economy:
- The Repair Café Wien invites citizens to repair broken electrical devices together with experts (Reuse).
- The Elektrogeräte-Tauschbörse Graz creates a platform for reuse instead of disposal (Reduce).
- The Upcycling-Workshop Linz demonstrates how old electrical components can be transformed into creative design objects (Recycle).
SECONTRADE as part of the solution
The European Week for Waste Reduction shows: resource conservation starts with all of us – and it requires the right conditions to succeed. SECONTRADE provides traders and buyers with a digital solution to efficiently and transparently trade high-quality secondary raw materials. This ensures valuable materials return to the cycle and enables a truly functioning circular economy in Austria and Europe.
Find out more: European Week for Waste Reduction – EWWR
