“Fast Tech” items, which are similar to fast fashion for electronics, represent the fastest-growing e-waste category in the UK. A study by the not-for-profit group Material Focus, based on a survey of 2,000 people, estimates that 471 million “Fast Tech” items were discarded in the UK in the previous year. These items include disposable vapes, LED, solar, and decorative lights, cables, USB sticks, cordless headphones, and mini fans. The low average cost, around £4, encourages consumers to see these items as disposable, although they often contain valuable raw materials like copper wires and lithium batteries that can be recycled.
The research also revealed that the average home has 30 unused electrical items. While the amount of electrical waste has decreased since 2017, this is due in part to the lighter weight of many electrical items and increased recycling rates. The survey found that 60% of people now recycle their electricals.
Scott Butler, executive director of Material Focus, emphasized the need to inform consumers that any item with a plug, battery, or cable can be recycled and highlighted the importance of recycling valuable materials inside these items instead of losing them when they are disposed of.
Globally, consumers discard approximately 9 billion kg of cables, toys, vapes, novelty clothes, and similar electronic devices each year, which are often not recognized as e-waste.
