Half a Billion of Small Fasttech Electricals are Thrown Away into Waste

By Aarti Dhapte , 30 November, 2023

New research in 2023 reveals that the United Kingdom threw away almost half a billion small Fast Tech electricals as waste. The study from Material Focus revealed that half a billion tech items, including cables, lights, fans, and other electricals, are discarded as waste in the United Kingdom.

The new research conducted to show the results before E-Waste Day indicates that the United Kingdom's consumption of small tech electricals is growing fast regarding the numbers of electrical items sent to landfills. According to research, "FastTech" refers to small electrical items used in daily lives, such as mini fans, headphones, cables, and many others. All these items can be run for a short period of time and cost no more than 4 Pounds. Therefore, these FastTech items are considered disposable as 47 percent of the consumers believe cheaper electricals' longevity is less than costlier.

The concerns related to FastTech items arise due to valuable metals lost with the disposal of these items. The valuable metals, like gold, aluminum, and lithium, can be further recycled and reused, as these metals are lost forever when thrown away. These metals empower the function of semiconductors and microchips that play a crucial role in all electronics. According to the survey, around half a billion landfill yearly, includes 260 million disposable vapes, 29 million LED, and 26 million cables, among others. On average, nine United Kingdom adults buy FastTech items and throw away eight items among them, and 90 percent of the electronics consumers believe. Most FastTech items are mini speakers, step counters, and vacuum cleaners. The annual spend on FastTech overcame 2.8 billion pounds for the first time in 2023. The survey company suggests that anything with a battery, cable, or plug can be recycled. However, the number of electrical items thrown away has decreased since 2017 compared to 2023, as more people have shifted their focus towards recycling.