According to Piret Otsason, head of extended producer responsibility and hazardous waste at the Ministry of Climate, studies show that many small household electronics — cables and chargers, but also toasters, blowdryers and power banks — often sit unused at home before eventually being thrown into regular trash.

Otsason said that in recent years, electronic waste has made up just 0.9 percent of mixed municipal waste, which amounts to roughly 3,000–6,800 metric tons. This accounts for only about a quarter of all small electronics purchased in Estonia.

"If we could recover electronic waste from mixed waste, our collection target for small electronics would almost be met," she noted.

Small electronic waste can, however, be successfully recycled. Kaur Kuurme, head of OÜ Eesti Elektroonikaromu, said all devices contain valuable materials in one form or another.  

"The system works by disassembling each device so that plastics, metals, batteries and accumulators are separated and sent back into circulation in the metal industry, plastics industry and so on," Kuurme explained. He noted that all these materials are valuable and can be repurposed.

"The most irrational thing is simply sending it to mixed municipal waste, where it ends up in a landfill or incinerator," Kuurme emphasized.  

Otsason added that small devices like mobile phones and laptops rarely end up in regular trash and often sit in homes for years — but the sooner they're returned to the manufacturer or retailer, the sooner they can be recycled.

"But if we keep them in our drawers at home for about ten years, and do nothing, they'll eventually become waste and can no longer be reused," she warned.

Convenient recycling is key

Both Otsason and Kuurme noted that much of the shortfall in collection and recycling comes down to awareness.

They emphasized that electronic devices can be taken to recycling centers for free, and large electronics stores are also required to accept them.

This year, small electronics are a focus of the global World Cleanup Day. Collection boxes will be available in larger stores through September 20, with campaign leader Elike Saviorg stressing that convenience is key.

"Recycling centers can sometimes be in hard-to-reach locations that require a special trip, but most people visit larger stores several times a week," Saviorg explained. "The idea is that small electronics can be returned either to stores participating in the campaign or to stores that sell electronics themselves."

She added that collection boxes are already readily available in most larger stores.

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