Growing volumes of small electronic products

Fast tech refers to inexpensive electrical and electronic products that consumers frequently purchase and replace. These include earphones, charging cables, USB adapters, decorative lighting, portable fans, disposable electronic cigarettes and small electronic toys. Many of these products have short lifespans and are often discarded shortly after purchase.

The growing popularity of these items has led to increasing volumes of electronic waste. Unlike large household appliances, consumers rarely recognise fast tech products as electronic waste requiring separate collection and recycling. As a result, many items end up in residual waste streams or remain unused in households.

Research conducted by Material Focus found that consumers in the United Kingdom purchased more than 500 million small fast tech electrical products in 2023, equivalent to approximately 16 items every second. The findings illustrate the scale and growth of this waste stream.

Challenges for collection and recycling systems

The expansion of online retail has further increased the availability of low-cost electronic products. However, not all sellers and online platforms comply with producer responsibility requirements under waste electrical and electronic equipment legislation.

When producers are not registered, they do not contribute to financing collection, treatment and recycling systems. This places additional pressure on existing waste management infrastructure and can leave end-of-life products outside formal recycling channels.

Battery-related fire risks increase

Many fast tech products contain lithium-ion batteries. Devices such as disposable electronic cigarettes, wireless earbuds and electronic toys can create significant fire risks when they enter general waste collection systems or treatment facilities. Damaged or crushed batteries may ignite during collection, transport or processing.

According to findings presented by the WEEE Forum Batteries Roundtable, 36 per cent of electronic waste operators reported at least one battery-related fire at their facilities during the previous year. In France, the number of fires linked to lithium batteries at waste treatment facilities doubled between 2019 and 2023.

These incidents highlight that the disposal of fast tech products in residual waste not only results in the loss of recoverable materials but also increases operational and safety risks across the waste management sector.

Raising awareness of fast tech waste

International E-Waste Day 2026 aims to increase awareness of fast tech waste and promote the correct collection and recycling of small electronic products. The campaign will focus on improving public understanding of the environmental impacts, resource losses and safety risks associated with improper disposal, while supporting efforts to strengthen circular economy practices for electronic products.