The Waste Electrical Equipment Coordination Center shows how reuse and recycling can contribute to an environmentally friendly and energy-efficient Christmas. From second-hand gifts to proper disposal: small steps can have a big impact.
Smartphones, computers and tablets as well as household and electrical appliances are still popular gifts for Christmas among Austrians. In addition, the market for smart home solutions is gaining momentum. The Waste Electrical Equipment Coordination Center (EAK) is taking the Christmas season and the upcoming Black Friday on November 29th, 2024 as an opportunity to inform that conservation of resources and recycling should be taken into account, especially when giving gifts of electrical equipment. By buying consciously and disposing of old devices correctly, important steps can be taken on the path from a throwaway society to a circular economy without much effort. “Computers, smartphones, irons and batteries contain valuable raw materials such as iron, copper, cobalt and even gold and silver – and in comparatively high concentrations. “It’s important to recover these and make them usable again,” says Mag. Elisabeth Giehser, Managing Director of the EAK.
It doesn’t always have to be a new device
Buying gifts consciously is not just about choosing them carefully, but also about asking whether gifts really always have to be new. Second-hand is in vogue and stores are no longer just for clothing – used electrical appliances can also be purchased in a large selection for a long time. Whether it’s a cell phone, television or refrigerator, everyone will find what they’re looking for here. In addition to the idea of sustainability, there is another aspect that comes into play when it comes to second-hand devices: refurbished, refurbished devices or second-hand goods are usually a lot cheaper than new devices. In view of inflation and energy shortages, conscious purchasing also pays off for your wallet.
Gifts that are purchased carefully and are actually well received by the recipient also help to reduce the number of (returned) parcels in the age of online purchasing. According to Greenpeace Austria, the return of a single package alone causes as many CO2 emissions as the electricity consumption of an Austrian household in a whole day.
Proper disposal is crucial
If you receive a new device as a gift, the older model, if it still works, can be given to someone else for further use. “Currently, when a new purchase is made, many devices that are no longer up-to-date but still fully functional disappear into drawers or even end up in the trash. The raw materials contained therein are therefore lost for recovery. Correct, resource-saving recycling can only be guaranteed if it is disposed of correctly at around 2,000 municipal collection points,” emphasizes Giehser.
This also applies – in view of the Christmas lights – to the disposal of lamps. Because of the wires they contain, conventional light bulbs belong in the residual waste and not in the waste glass collection. LED lamps – such as those from the popular fairy lights, just like old electrical devices or batteries, must be disposed of at waste collection points or specialist shops.
Repairs made easy
In order to avoid waste and conserve resources, the general rule is to use a device for as long as possible. Repairs can extend the lifespan of many devices by several years. In Austria, repair, service and maintenance of electrical and electronic devices is carried out with the Repair bonus promoted. The funding amounts to 50 percent of the costs per voucher up to a maximum of 200 euros. It is still possible to apply for vouchers for 2024. The repair bonus has been very well received; two years after its introduction, more than a million vouchers have already been redeemed this year. There is no restriction on the number of vouchers redeemed, meaning you can have devices repaired several times in a row. Service and maintenance services are now also included in the repair bonus.
A list of collection points in Austria can be found here:
www.elektro-ade.at/elektrogeraete-sammeln/liste-der-sammelstellen-in-oesterreich
About the Waste Electrical Equipment Coordination Office (EAK)
The EAK carries out the practical and administrative coordination of the collection of the collected old electrical devices and used portable batteries and is responsible for public relations, data and material flow analyzes as well as reporting to the BMK (Federal Ministry for Climate Protection) and the European Commission. The EAK is a non-profit company whose owners consist of representatives of the Austrian Chamber of Commerce as well as industry representatives affected by the EAG-VO and the Battery Ordinance.