Waste

Over 32 kg/person of new electrical & electronic gear

Published

1 month ago

November 4, 2025

In 2023, 11.6 kg of electrical and electronic equipment waste (WEEE or e-waste), for example, household appliances, smartphones and computers, was officially collected per inhabitant in the EU compared with the 32.2 kg of new electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) per person put on the market. This 20.6 kg difference per person highlights an increase in the stock of devices, either because they are still in use, awaiting disposal, being hoarded at home or lost to informal, unmonitored waste treatment.

Between 2015 and 2023, the EEE placed on the market in the EU grew by 78%, from 18.1 kg per person in 2015 to 32.2 kg in 2023.

The Netherlands recorded the highest amount of EEE placed on the market, with 45.4 kg per person, followed by Germany (38.9 kg) and Austria (35.1 kg). At the other end, in Cyprus, only 14.8 kg of electronic equipment per person was put on the market. Slovakia (15.8 kg) and Bulgaria (17.9 kg) followed with the lowest values.

Click to enlarge

Source dataset: env_waseleeos

Between 2015 and 2023, e-waste collected grew by 60% from 7.3 kg to 11.6 kg, showing a slower growth than the EEE placed on the market.

Among the EU countries, Bulgaria (17.9 kg per person), Czechia (16.8 kg) and Austria (15.9 kg) registered the highest values of e-waste collected per person, while the lowest amounts collected were in Cyprus (3.8 kg per person), Malta and Portugal (5.8 kg per person each).

Click to enlarge

Source dataset: env_waseleeos

Bulgaria is the only EU country in which electrical and electronic waste collection equals the products placed on the market, with 17.9 kg per person in each category. In contrast, in the Netherlands, the weight of electronic products placed on the market is almost 4 times higher than that collected as waste, 45.4 kg vs 12.3 kg.

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Methodological notes

Data in this article was collected within the framework of Directive 2012/19/EU on waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE Directive). The objective of the WEEE Directive is to promote the collection of waste electrical and electronic equipment and recovery, recycling and preparation for reuse of this waste to reduce the quantity disposed of.
The figures presented are based on data submitted by EU countries under the WEEE Directive. The reported amounts for both new equipment placed on the market and collected e-waste (WEEE) are potentially underestimated. This is primarily due to the ongoing challenges in fully accounting for cross-border online trade, capturing data from all non-compliant producers, and accurately estimating the significant portion of WEEE that is collected and treated by the informal sector.
Electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) is defined as any product that needs electricity or electromagnetic fields to work properly, which includes reliance on a plug, a battery, or an antenna. This covers a huge range of items, such as smartphones, laptops, washing machines, light bulbs, hairdryers, and smoke detectors. This classification also applies to equipment used to generate, transfer, or measure those currents and fields, such as solar panels, power cables, extension cords, and electricity meters. This broad category covers all such equipment designed for use with standard household and commercial low-voltage. Examples include: household appliances (e.g. refrigerators, washing machines, microwave ovens, toasters, coffee makers); power tools (e.g. drills, saws, grinders); lighting equipment (e.g. LED luminaires, fluorescent lamps); audio and video equipment (e.g. televisions, amplifiers, speakers); information technology equipment (e.g. smartphones, laptops, printers), and solar panels.

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