Brussels, 14 October 2026 – New Eurostat figures published today highlight the mounting e-waste challenge facing Europe, as high levels of electronics consumption continue to generate large amounts of discarded equipment. Yet the sector remains far from circular, with collection, reuse and recycling falling short of their potential. 

On International E-Waste Day, Environmental NGOs call on the European Commission to seize the upcoming revision of the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) legislation and the Circular Economy Act (CEA) to significantly strengthen electronics collection, preparation for reuse and high-quality recycling.  

Isabelle Radovan, Policy Officer, Circular Economy and Waste, European Environmental Bureau (EEB), said: 

“Europe is consuming and discarding more electronics than ever, yet the sector’s structural shortcomings remain unaddressed. The revised e-waste legislation and the Circular Economy Act must focus on preventing waste and extending products’ lifespan. It is time to tackle electronic waste at its source.” 

Eurostat’s latest figures demonstrate the urgent need for action. In 2024: 

• 14.6 million tons of electrical and electronic equipment were sold in the EU – an increase of 91 percent since 2012. 

• The highest per-capita consumers of electrical and electronic equipment in the EU were Austria, Germany, Denmark, Spain, and Netherlands with consumption levels of 35.6 – 38.2 kilograms per person. 

• 5.5 million tons of e-waste were collected – around 6 percent more than in 2023. 

• Collection rates are alarmingly low across the EU. Germany, for example, is among the Member States with the largest volumes of products placed on the market, yet reported a collection rate of just 28.7 percent. 

• The lowest e-waste collection rates were recorded in Italy, Slovenia and Greece. 

Growing demand for electronic devices consumes finite resources such as lithium, palladium and copper. Raw material extraction and processing are responsible for 55% of global greenhouse gas emissions, up to 40% of health-related impacts from particulate matter, and 90% of land-based biodiversity loss. Short product lifespans, barriers to repair and reuse and improper disposal add to these impacts.  

Moreover, large quantities of e-waste are discarded in residual waste or exported unlawfully. This can release toxic pollutants, cause fires involving lithium-ion batteries, and prevent devices and materials from being reused or recycled. 

In a joint position paper, environmental NGOs have been calling for waste prevention to be at the heart of the future WEEE framework and the CEA. The revised rules must set binding waste prevention targets, and strengthen repair, reuse and collection, backed by robust extended producer responsibility (EPR) schemes. These schemes should be harmonised at EU level, taking the most advanced national systems as a benchmark. 

They must include mandatory funding for repair and preparation for reuse, eco-modulated fees that reward sustainable product design, and inclusive governance to ensure producers are accountable for their products throughout their life cycle. Collecting more e-waste is not enough: functional and repairable devices should be identified and channeled towards reuse before being recycled. This requires dedicated reuse targets, adequate producer funding, and access to collection points for reuse operators. 

Dr. Marieke Hoffmann, Senior Expert, Circular Economy Deutsche Umwelthilfe (DUH), said: 

“Electronics producers generate substantial profits from selling their products and must take responsibility for resulting environmental impacts. It is unacceptable that environmental targets set out in the WEEE Directive have been missed for years without producers facing any consequences. We therefore call for mandatory participation of producers in collective producer responsibility organisations that are held accountable for meeting collection, preparation for reuse and recycling targets. Additional incentives should be introduced to reward producer organisations that exceed these targets.” 

Marie-Jeanne Gaertner, Environmental Policy Lead, RREUSE, said: 

“Preparing-for-reuse rates for WEEE are still incredibly low, at below 2%. One of the main reasons behind this is that EPR schemes typically do not finance reuse and preparing for reuse of WEEE. And the reason behind this is that there is no EU-wide legal obligation to do so. Even the Commission has recognised it in its evaluation report on the WEEE Directive. We urge policymakers to mandate EPR fees to cover the costs of reuse and preparation for reuse under the review of the WEEE Directive to unlock the potential of the reuse sector.” 

Inés Alberico, Campaign Manager, Right to Repair Europe, said:

“How do we stop electronic products from ending up in the e-waste pile? Make them repairable and make repairs affordable. Instruments like repair vouchers can lower repair costs and have already helped drive more repairs. But they need reliable, long-term funding. That’s where the revised WEEE Directive comes in: we’re calling for EPR fees to set aside dedicated funding for repair and reuse. Make repair affordable, and more electronics can stay in use for longer instead of becoming e-waste.”

ENDS

Note to editors:
Briefing: The environmental and climate benefits of a circular economy [European Environment Agency]