Statistics on electronic waste in Denmark
You can find national figures for marketed electronics and batteries in Dansk Producentansvar’s statistics bank (Data Centre for Circular Economy). You can also see how much has subsequently been recycled, reused or recovered, as well as whether Denmark meets the relevant EU objectives.
The missing electronic waste: Incorrect sorting and the grey market
Unfortunately, a lot of electronics do not end up in the correct waste streams but are sorted incorrectly or end up on the grey market, where there is no guarantee that it will be processed in an environmentally responsible manner. In 2015, the Danish Environmental Protection Agency’s partnership for the collection of electronic waste revealed the quantities and where the “missing” electronic waste ended up. You can read the results here.
Recycling of electronic waste
At Elretur, we have a number of pilot projects that aim to increase the share of electronics that are recycled. You can read more about these here. The Danish Environmental Protection Agency has mapped which actors generally prepare waste for recycling. The mapping can be found here.
Collection and sorting of electronic waste and batteries
Incorrect sorting is a major challenge in terms of ensuring increased recycling of our waste. Through the “F**** with the batteries” campaign, Elretur focuses on the correct sorting of batteries. However, options for handing in batteries outside of the recycling centres varies from municipality to municipality. In a study, the Danish Environmental Protection Agency compared various collection schemes for e.g. small electronics and batteries. The analysis can be found here.
A global perspective on electronic waste
Electronic waste is a global challenge, and you can read more about it in the UN’s E-waste monitor here. In 2017, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) also prepared a report exploring product lifetime extension. In the report, they placed a particular focus on a number of electronic products. You can find the report here. 
