Millions of unused electrical appliances crowd Belgian households

A new study by Recupel reveals that Belgian households own an average of 106 electrical and electronic appliances, a sharp increase from 78 in 2019. However, 12 of these devices per household are no longer in use, leaving 55 million unused appliances across Belgium, a number that has grown by 4 million since the last study.

Recupel illustrates the scale of the problem by noting that these idle appliances could fill Antwerp’s Boerentoren five times or Brussels’ Bastion Tower eight times. While some of these unused items are still functional, others are broken but remain at home instead of being recycled. The reasons vary: some people believe the items are easy to repair, others find it "too much hassle" to bring them to a collection point, and a lack of awareness persists. Notably, 12 per cent of respondents don’t know where to recycle electronic devices, and 8 per cent are unaware that broken appliances can even be recycled.

Eric Dewaet, CEO of Recupel, notes the environmental consequences of improper disposal. “To protect our planet, it is important that electrical appliances are collected and recycled correctly,” he explains.

“Unfortunately, this does not always happen. Electrical appliances are sometimes wrongly disposed of with household waste. In that case, the appliances are simply burned, which is dangerous for the environment. That is why we call on everyone to do their bit by taking unused appliances to Recupel.”

Recupel is amplifying its call to action during the European Week for Waste Reduction, running from 16 to 24 November, to highlight the importance of reusing and recycling electrical devices. With millions of appliances left idle, the organisation hopes to inspire Belgians to help protect the planet by properly disposing of their unused electronics.

^{​© PHOTO LUCAS ADRIEN NOWAK/ HANS LUCAS via AFP}