HIGH RETURNS, LOW REUSE

More than half of those who have bought small, inexpensive electronic products have stopped using them because they broke. This is shown by producer responsibility company Renas' review of Norwegian responses in a European survey. At the same time, Norway ranks low when it comes to selling or giving away electronics that still work.

The survey was conducted by the WEEE Forum in twelve European countries, and the review was carried out in connection with International E-waste Day on 14 October, which is organised by the forum. The theme in 2026 is “fast tech”, meaning small, inexpensive electronic products that are bought frequently and break quickly.

– Norway performs best when it comes to handing in old electronics for recycling, and is also the country where the fewest people leave unused products lying around at home, according to a press release from Renas.

However, when it comes to passing products on, Norway ranks tenth out of the twelve countries.

Break down

Almost four in ten say they have stopped using products that looked intact but no longer worked. At the same time, four in five say they would be willing to pay more for products with a longer lifespan.

The Norwegian Consumer Council recently presented a survey pointing in the same direction. Three in four say they have had to discard electronics because the software was no longer updated or did not work with other equipment. Two in three state that they have discarded products because spare parts were unavailable.

– Collection in Norway works well, and people deserve credit for that. But electronics that still work are best off with someone who will actually use them. E-waste Day is a good opportunity to remind people that the first step is to pass them on, and that anything broken should be handed in for recycling, says Anja Ronesen, PR and communications manager at Renas, in the press release.

Collaborates with Elon

Renas is collaborating with Elon Norway to remind consumers that all shops selling electronics are also obliged to accept equivalent e-waste free of charge. Elon stores across the country are encouraging customers to hand in products that no longer work.

– Many of our stores are located right in the heart of local communities, and for many people it is a shorter trip to us than to the recycling station. We want more people to know that, says Annette Sikkeland, marketing manager at Elon Norway, in the press release.

... and Tise

In connection with International E-waste Day on 14 October, Renas has entered into a partnership with Tise to encourage more people to sell electronics that still work. On the day itself, users receive ten times as many Tise points as usual when they post listings in the “Electronics & audio” category.

– Many people have fully usable electronics lying around that others could benefit from. We hope E-waste Day will encourage more people to bring them out and give them a new life, says Ingrid Rønningen, Partnerships Lead at Tise, in the press release.

Wants to recover more

Renas is also carrying out a research project together with precious metals refiner K.A. Rasmussen. The aim is to recover more critical raw materials from circuit boards than is possible today. The project has received support from the Research Council of Norway, and Bergfald Environmental Consultants, as well as several international players, are taking part.

The method is based on supercritical CO₂, the same technology used in the production of decaffeinated coffee. According to Renas, the project could contribute to the EU's target of at least 25 per cent recycling capacity for strategic critical raw materials by 2030.

The WEEE Forum survey was conducted among 10,245 people in twelve European countries, including 505 in Norway.