International E-waste Day highlights recycling paradox in Poland

On the ninth International E-waste Day, results from a WEEE Forum study highlight how consumers in Poland manage small electronic devices such as chargers, cables, and headphones.

The study, which included 1,009 participants from Poland, revealed a paradox in disposal habits. While only 14% of Polish respondents reported throwing small electronics into mixed waste—the lowest percentage among 12 surveyed European countries—32% reported placing them in plastic and metal recycling bins, the highest among the 11 other countries.

Grzegorz Skrzypczak, CEO of ElektroEko, noted that while many Poles intend to act correctly, they often fail to recognize small items like LED lamps or cables as electronic waste that requires specialized recycling rather than standard plastic or metal bins.

Data from ElektroEko suggests that the average Polish household now contains approximately 32 small electronic devices, a significant increase from 15 devices two decades ago. The campaign slogan for this year is: “Used electronics? To recycling. Not to the trash!".