3rd stakeholder seminar of ORZ - May 27th 2024

On May 27th 2024, the Environmental Research Institute carried out the 3rd local stakeholder seminar within the WEEEWaste project at the collection center Tuncovec in Rogaška Slatina. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the project progress so far, identifying key challenges of the material flow of e-waste and to exchange experiences and good practices in the contribution area of OKP Rogaška Slatina, which includes six municipalities. It was mentioned that there are almost no differences in the amount of waste collected between these municipalities. Participants of the meeting included the head of the waste collection and removal business unit Peter Šturbej and Miran Plavčak.

We've discussed the reasons for the increase in e-waste and concluded that the main reasons are: newer models & functions of devices, online shopping, perishability of devices, expensive repair services.

Consumerism is a significant contributor to the growing problem of e-waste because it fuels a culture of planned obsolescence, where products are designed to be replaced frequently, rather than repaired or upgraded. This leads to a constant stream of new, often disposable, electronic devices entering the market, resulting in an exponential increase in electronic waste. Additionally, the rapid pace of technological advancements and the constant demand for the latest and greatest gadgets also contribute to the e-waste problem, as people discard their old devices to make way for new ones.

This was also followed by a discussion about the fact that manufacturers can contribute to reduced e-waste by implementing sustainable design practices, which include designing products with recyclability in mind, using eco-friendly materials. 

The seminar ended with the conclusion that effective approaches for reducing e-waste have not been identified yet.