Cyprus recorded the lowest amount of waste electrical and electronic equipment collected per capita in the EU in 2024, at 4.7 kg, according to data published by Eurostat on Wednesday.
In the same year, 15.4 kg of new electrical and electronic equipment per capita were placed on the Cyprus market, a figure that was also among the lowest in the EU. Low levels of new equipment placed on the market were also recorded in Slovakia, at 17.5 kg per capita, and Greece, at 18 kg per capita.
At EU level, an average of 12.3 kg of waste electrical and electronic equipment per capita was collected in 2024, while 32.4 kg of new equipment per capita, such as household appliances, smartphones and computers, was placed on the market.
According to Eurostat, the significant difference between the two figures indicates an increase in the stock of electrical and electronic equipment. This equipment may remain in use, be awaiting disposal, be stored in households, or end up in informal and unmonitored waste management channels.
Between 2015 and 2024, the amount of electrical and electronic equipment placed on the EU market increased by 79%, from 18.1 kg per capita to 32.4 kg. A key factor behind the increase was the category of large equipment, such as washing machines, dishwashers and photovoltaic panels. Between 2022 and 2024, the amount of new equipment per capita remained almost stable.
The collection of electronic waste increased at a slower pace, from 7.3 kg per capita in 2015 to 12.3 kg in 2024. Compared with 2023, an increase of 0.7 kg per capita was recorded.
After Cyprus, the lowest amounts of electronic waste collected were recorded in Portugal, at 6 kg per capita, and Malta, at 6.4 kg. At the other end of the scale, the largest amounts were collected in Bulgaria, at 18.9 kg per capita, Czechia, at 17.8 kg, and France, at 17.7 kg.
