Guidance reviewed 8 October 2026.
We rely on more electrical equipment than ever, but what happens when it breaks, becomes outdated or is no longer needed? The UK’s e-waste figures show why computer recycling and electrical waste collections matter.
How Much E-Waste Does the UK Generate?
The Global E-waste Monitor 2024 country table estimates that the UK generated 1.652 million tonnes of e-waste in 2022, or 24.5 kg per person. Those are estimates for 2022, not a measurement of what the UK produced this year. E-waste includes much more than IT: appliances, tools, lighting and other electrical equipment all contribute.
Is Electrical Waste Growing?
Globally, yes. The monitor records 62 million tonnes in 2022 and projects 82 million tonnes by 2030, an increase of around 33%. Only 22.3% of the 2022 global total was documented as formally collected and recycled. These are worldwide figures, not a UK growth forecast. Read the ITU summary.
There is growing demand in the UK too. Material Focus’s 2024 briefing reports a 5% increase in household electrical sales between 2023 and 2024, alongside a 5% increase in household electrical recycling collections. Sales and collection figures are different from total e-waste generated: buying more equipment does not mean it all becomes waste in the same year.
The Electricals We Still Lose
Material Focus’s research published in March 2024, using a 2021 baseline, estimated that UK households threw away 103,000 tonnes of electricals and held on to 880 million unused items. These figures describe particular household waste flows, not the UK’s total e-waste. They show why a clear, convenient recycling route makes a difference.
What Can Your Business Do?
Start with the equipment you already have. Keep it in use for longer where practical, repair what is worth repairing, and make an electrical recycling point easy to find. Don’t let old laptops, unused cables and broken appliances disappear into general waste during a clear-out.
For larger upgrades or office moves, our mixed WEEE recycling and IT recycling services help you clear unwanted equipment without the hassle. Data-bearing media are shredded, with a Certificate of Data Destruction included.
Send us an overall photo and we’ll help you take the next step. Recycle today. A cleaner tomorrow.