What is e-waste?

Electronic Waste – or e-waste – is the term used to describe old, end-of-life electronic appliances such as computers,laptops, TVs, DVD players, mobile phones, mp3 players etc. which have been disposed of by their original users. While there is no generally accepted definition of e-waste, in most cases, e-waste comprises of relatively expensive and essentially durable products used for data processing, telecommunications or entertainment in private households and businesses. 

Public perception of e-waste is often restricted to a narrower sense, comprising mainly of end-of-life information- & telecommunication equipment and consumer electronics. However, technically, electronic waste is only a subset of WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment). According to the OECD any appliance using an electric power supply that has reached its end-of-life would come under WEEE. 

In this web-based eWaste Guide we define all appliances running on electricity that have no function anymore as e-waste and use WEEE and e-waste synonymously. 

WEEE Categories

 Large household appliances
 Small household appliances
 IT and telecommunications equipment
 Consumer equipment
 Lighting equipment
 Electrical and electronic tools (with the exception of large-scale stationary industrial tools)
 Toys, leisure and sports equipment
 Medical devices (with the exception of all implanted and infected products)
 Monitoring and control instruments
 Automatic dispensers