As a proud member of the WEEE Forum and the UK lead for International E-Waste Day (IEWD), Ecogenesys is once again at the forefront of raising awareness around the growing challenge and opportunity to educate more people about responsible end-of-life electrical recycling.
Now in its 8th year, International E-Waste Day will take place on 14th October 2025, focusing attention on the hidden value in our old electricals, specifically the Critical Raw Materials (CRMs) that are needed for green and digital technologies and the role we can play in recovering CRMs from unwanted, broken electronics.
Why are critical raw materials important?
CRMs are essential to the UK’s and the EU’s ambitions for net zero, energy security, and digital transformation. Without them, smart phones, batteries, electrical vehicles, wind turbines, and solar panels wouldn’t function.
The EU’s Critical Raw Materials Act has set specific goals around the capture:
10% of annual CRM needs sourced domestically
40% processed within the EU
25% of supply coming from recycling by 2030
Reaching these targets won’t be possible without a major uplift in e-waste collection and recycling, especially from households and small businesses.
A recent TNO study revealed that up to 31% of the EU’s CRM needs could be met by selective recovery from electronic waste. But outdated, weight-focused recycling legislation under the WEEE Directive prioritises quantity over quality, making it harder to justify the costly and complex recovery of tiny, but valuable, elements like tantalum or indium.
Uncovering CRMs in the home
Recent research from the WEEE Forum and UNITAR found that the average European household owns 74 electronic items, and that 13 of these are not in use, either broken or simply forgotten. Across Europe, this amounts to 10 million tonnes of dormant electricals in our homes.
Old phones, laptops, cables, chargers and gadgets might seem worthless, but they often contain tiny amounts of critical materials. When recovered correctly, these can reduce dependence on mining, lower carbon footprints, and support the UK’s transition to a circular future.
What can we do for International E-Waste Day 2025?
For technology to truly go green, we need action at every level, from legislation and industry innovation to everyday consumer behaviour.
This International E-Waste Day:
Check your drawers: Find old or unused electrical items and take them for responsible recycle to your nearest drop off point: locate here.
Return them: Take them to a local retailer such as Currys, who offer cash for trash to customer returning this unwanted electricals for recycling.
Get involved: Whether you’re a school, local authority, business, or community group, there’s a way to take part
Register your event or activity here
