Repair, reuse, recycle

Electronic devices are becoming an increasingly central part of our everyday lives. However, they are made up of complex components that are often difficult to access and only partially repairable. As a result, valuable raw materials remain unused in drawers or end up as waste long before the end of their actual potential lifespan.

Did you know that a single smartphone contains more than 60 different materials, including critical metals such as copper, indium, and cobalt?

Time to make a difference – and to consciously extend the lifespan of our devices and their material components!

UniGR-CIRKLA highlights concrete ways to make this happen. We collect and share best practices from Belgium, Germany, France, and Luxembourg – from electronic waste collection to innovative sorting and recycling technologies, as well as local repair and reuse initiatives. Our goal is twofold: to support consumers in using their devices more sustainably and to promote responsible end-of-life management. At the same time, the exchange of expertise and the strengthening of cross-sector and cross-border cooperation help uncover new industrial synergies and improve the recovery of strategic materials.

Recent developments in European regulation further support this transition. One key initiative is the Digital Product Passport, introduced under the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR). It increases transparency regarding product material composition and reparability, while also encouraging manufacturers to design more modular, resource-efficient products – contributing to a more circular and sustainable economy.