Precious elements: new campaign highlights need for more sustainable electronics
Following the success of our 2019 Precious Elements campaign – which was covered by the BBC and by news outlets around the world – we are publishing the results of a new, global survey into people's attitudes towards technology, sustainability, and precious elements.
Our first campaign raised awareness of the many precious elements that are in our personal electronics, and highlighted the fact that many people in the UK are unaware of the need to recycle these products.
The campaign was highlighted in Parliament, and in 2020 the RSC was invited to give evidence to the UK Government's Environmental Audit Committee report into e-waste.
Building on this momentum, we have conducted a second survey – this one in 10 countries around the world – asking participants about their purchasing and recycling habits, and also guaging their attitudes to the issue of sustainability in technology.
We found that there is a real appetite for more sustainable technology options, but that people were frustrated with the lack of information around the topic, as well as the lack of straightforward options for recycling their tech or extending its lifespan.
Key stats from our research
- 60% of consumers would switch to rival of preferred tech brand if goods were produced sustainably.
- While the vast majority of consumers said they wished their devices lasted longer, they find it too difficult (68%) or too expensive (71%) to repair them when minor things go wrong
- Almost three quarters (73%) of people we surveyed worldwide said they believe governments should take urgent action to tackle e-waste before the situation gets any worse.
- Just over half (57%) say they worry about the environmental effect of the unused tech devices they have at home, but either don’t know what to do with them or are unconvinced the current processes available in their local area deal with e-waste effectively.
Learn more on our sustainability webpages
Head to our new sustainability webpages now, to learn more about this campaign and take part, including:
- What these precious elements are, where they are mined, what they are used for, and what are the supply risks they face.
- How different countries around the world differed in their responses to our survey questions.
- And in-depth deep dive into our survey data, broken down by country and age group.
- Where to find more information about how to repair or recycle your electronics.
- Submit your own information about repairing and recycling options in your country.
- Find out how chemical scientists are working to solve this pressing issue.
Developing a circular economy where minerals used in tech devices are salvaged and repurposed could help us to bypass supply chain issues in the future while also helping to reduce environmental impacts. It is essential that governments and businesses urgently do more to develop a circular economy which can tackle the world’s growing e-waste crisis and alleviate the strain on supply chains.
Not only do we need governments to overhaul recycling infrastructure and tech businesses to invest in more sustainable manufacturing practices, we need greater public and private investment in research to enable chemical scientists like those at N2S to progress methods of separating critical raw materials from electronic waste for recycling purposes.
However, in the nearer term, we urge everyone to be more conscious about how they use and reuse technology. Before you dispose or replace it, ask yourself if it really needs replaced. Could it be repaired or updated? If it can’t be sold or donated, could it be recycled?
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