Electrão, the Waste Management Association, highlights on International E-Waste Day that around 57,000 tons of electrical equipment were collected and sent for recycling through national management systems in 2024, of which 36,400 tons were processed by Electrão.
The Association notes that for Portugal to have met the 65% target, approximately 150,000 tons would need to be collected, based on the average quantity of electrical equipment placed on the market over the past three years, equating to about 15 kilograms per capita.
Despite the significant growth in collection in recent years, Electrão states that national results remain far below expectations, emphasizing that inadequate separation habits and insufficient collection continue to compromise national goals.
The Association identifies one major issue as the separation habits of the Portuguese: many people keep broken or unused equipment at home for years or dispose of them in general waste, hindering their proper recovery and decontamination.
Electrão warns that domestic and business accumulation of unused electrical equipment, combined with inadequate separation, continues to remove thousands of tons of valuable materials from the official recycling circuit each year.
An additional concern is the parallel market for electrical waste, which diverts large quantities of equipment from formal recycling channels, with many being collected through parallel channels and treated as scrap metal without adhering to environmental standards.
Marking International E-Waste Day, Electrão stresses the need to enhance enforcement and modernize control of the parallel market, which still diverts thousands of tons from the official circuit.
“Recycling electrical equipment is essential to secure raw materials like lithium, copper, and aluminum, vital for Europe’s energy and digital transition,” the Association underscores.
To observe International E-Waste Day and the European Week for Waste Reduction (November 22-30), also focused on electrical equipment, Electrão plans to promote various awareness actions with schools, municipalities, and other entities.
These initiatives include screening the documentary “Where Does Recycling Go,” collection campaigns, the launch of educational books and games, and sharing themed content on social media to encourage citizens to separate and deliver unused electrical equipment to appropriate sites.
Electrão is responsible for three main waste collection and recycling systems: packaging, batteries, and used electrical equipment.
