Why E-waste is Produced

E-waste is the electronic equipment that people throw away. A lot of it is produced because devices are replaced while they are still working, for three main reasons.

Upgrading to get the latest model

Many people buy a new device when the old one still does everything they need. Adverts make the newest version look better, and there is pressure to own the same things as your friends. The old device is often left in a drawer and then thrown out rather than passed on, so a machine that still works becomes waste.

For example, someone has a pair of wireless headphones they have used every day for two years. A newer pair comes out with noise cancelling and a longer battery life, and it is advertised in almost every video they watch. The old pair still works, but it is left in a bag and eventually thrown out with the rubbish.

Designed with a limited life

Some products are designed with a limited life, so they only last a certain length of time. A fitness band might have its strap moulded onto the body, so when the strap splits the whole band is thrown away instead of a cheap strap being swapped. Parts that wear out quickly, or a case that cannot be opened, mean the whole product has to be replaced. Designing products this way can keep prices low and sells more devices, but it also sends working electronics to landfill sooner than necessary.

Hard to repair or upgrade

If a device is sealed shut or needs a special tool to open, a small fault can mean buying a new one instead of fixing it. Devices that cannot be upgraded have the same problem: a games console with no spare storage slot fills up as games get bigger, so it is replaced even though nothing has broken. Building devices with replaceable parts and space to add storage would keep each one in use for longer.