The European Recycling Platform (ERP) proudly announces a major milestone: the collection and responsible treatment of more than 5 million tonnes of electronic waste across multiple European countries over the past 20 years.

This achievement underscores ERP’s commitment to building a sustainable circular economy by ensuring that discarded electrical and electronic equipment is collected, recycled, and reintroduced into production cycles rather than ending up in landfills.

From Mountains of Waste to Valuable Resources The scale of 5 million tonnes is staggering: it equals the weight of around 500 Eiffel Towers! Thanks to ERP’s work, this vast amount of material has been recovered, dismantled, and transformed into secondary raw materials, demonstrating the power of recycling in reducing Europe’s reliance on virgin resources.

At a glance, we have avoided more than 5,150,000 tonnes of carbon emissions and have recovered:

• +2,000,000 tonnes of Ferrous Metals
• +275,000 tonnes of Plastic
• +89.000 tonnes of Aluminium
• +54,000 tonnes of Copper
• +92 tonnes of Silver
• +20 tonnes of Gold
• +9 tonnes of Palladium

A Milestone for Europe’s Circular Economy Since its foundation in 2002, ERP has been at the forefront of waste management innovation. By collaborating with producers, governments, and consumers, ERP has created efficient systems that not only meet regulatory requirements but also raise awareness about the importance of responsible e-waste disposal.

In the words of Grant Kinsman, COO for Europe and North America at ERP: “Reaching 5 million tonnes is not just a number—it’s proof of what collective responsibility and collaboration can achieve. Every discarded device we collect is a step toward conserving resources, reducing carbon emissions, and protecting our environment for future generations. Together with our stakeholders all around Europe, it is possible to achieve a real impact for a more sustainable future!”

ERP, the first multi-country solution for E-waste compliance and management, consolidates the work and operations of several countries as Austria, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain and the UK.

Currently, ERP offer is available worldwide and includes compliance and consulting services about E-waste, batteries, packaging and textiles.

Looking Ahead As electronic consumption continues to rise, ERP remains committed to strengthening recycling networks, advancing innovative solutions, and engaging citizens in the circular economy. This milestone is both a celebration of past achievements and a call to action for the years ahead.

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