DIGITALEUROPE Views on Reuse and Repair

A circular economy for consumer electronics is already here

As Green Alliance puts it: “A circular economy for consumer electronics is already here. … the value of Apple devices sold on eBay in the US in 2013 was nearly $2 billion. … WRAP estimated in 2013 that the value of two to three year old laptops in the UK was £720 million and two to three year old tablets were worth £90 million after any collection and repair costs were taken into account.” Although no recent and comprehensive figures are available for all electrical and electronic equipment, these quotes give an impression of the size of a wellestablished reuse market. This market would not exist if the devices were not reusable.

The objective of this leave-behind paper is to explain the difference between reuse and preparation for reuse in the electronics sector as well as the complexity of operations that support reuse of goods.