In 2024, the trend of recycling old tablets and laptops has increased compared to 2022, with a noticeable rise in the number of individuals choosing to recycle these devices. Despite this positive shift in recycling behavior, a striking majority of individuals still tend to keep their old mobile phones, laptops, and tablets at home. When purchasing new devices, consumers primarily focus on factors such as brand, model, price, speed, and memory capacity, while sustainability considerations like energy consumption or recycling options are frequently overlooked. These findings were derived from a 2024 survey conducted by Statistics Netherlands (CBS) on ICT usage among households and individuals, highlighting the nuanced behavior and attitudes towards recycling and sustainability within the ICT sector.
Increased Recycling Rates for Laptops and Tablets
Statistics have revealed higher recycling rates for laptops and tablets in 2024 compared to 2022, with the former seeing an increase from 15 percent to 18 percent and the latter rising from 10 percent to 13 percent. However, mobile phones present a different narrative as they are frequently retained at home, with 55 percent of owners selecting this option. Despite the increase in laptop and tablet recycling rates, mobile phones still exhibit only a 14 percent recycling rate, indicating a lower preference for the recycling of smaller devices compared to larger ones. Desktop computers, on the other hand, show the highest recycling rate at 36 percent, with 22 percent kept at home and an additional 18 percent being sold or given away.
The data further indicate that individuals aged 65 and older are more likely to recycle their old mobile phones, laptops, tablets, and desktops than their younger counterparts. In 2024, 24 percent of people over 65 recycled their mobile phones, compared to just 12 percent of those under 65. Younger individuals often chose to sell or give away their devices at a higher rate (26 percent vs. 16 percent). This trend extends to other devices as well, with older individuals demonstrating a consistent propensity for recycling across various types of ICT devices.
Consumer Priorities When Purchasing New Devices
When it comes to purchasing new ICT devices, consumers’ primary considerations revolve around brand, model, size, speed, and memory, relegating sustainability concerns to secondary importance. The survey indicates that only 10 percent of consumers take energy consumption into account when buying new devices, and a mere 5 percent consider sustainability factors such as eco-friendly materials or repairability. Additionally, only a small fraction (2 percent) of consumers find a returns service offering recycling or discounts to be a decisive factor in their purchase decisions. This pattern of prioritizing technical performance and brand over environmental considerations is consistently observed across different types of devices, including smartphones, laptops, tablets, and desktops.
The overall narrative presents a society that, while increasingly aware of the importance of recycling old technology, is still primarily driven by non-sustainable factors when it comes to purchasing new devices. The trend of older individuals demonstrating a higher tendency towards recycling contrasts with the behavior of younger individuals, who often prefer to sell or give away old devices instead. This difference in behavior highlights the need for enhanced consumer awareness and education about the environmental impact of ICT devices, encouraging a shift towards more sustainable practices in device usage and disposal.
The Need for Enhanced Consumer Awareness
When buying new ICT devices, consumers prioritize brand, model, size, speed, and memory, often overlooking sustainability. According to a survey, only 10 percent consider energy consumption, while a mere 5 percent take into account sustainability factors like eco-friendly materials or repairability. Just 2 percent of consumers see recycling or discounts as decisive. This trend of favoring technical performance over environmental considerations is common across various devices, including smartphones, laptops, tablets, and desktops.
The narrative portrays a society increasingly aware of recycling but still driven by unsustainable factors when purchasing new technology. Older individuals tend to recycle more, while younger people prefer to sell or give away used devices. This behavioral difference underscores the need for better consumer education and awareness regarding the environmental impact of ICT devices. By enhancing knowledge, consumers can shift towards more sustainable practices in using and disposing of these devices, ultimately reducing their ecological footprint.
