15 July 2008

BELGIUM - More than half of the electronic appliances that Belgians throw away end up in the garbage can.

Only 35 percent of old appliances are recycled, according to the annual report of Recupel.

Belgians throw away an average of 20 kilogrammes worth of electric appliances annually. Only about 8 kilogrammes of this is recycled.

Especially small appliances such as electric shavers, calculators and mobile phones end up in the normal rubbish bin.

Bigger appliances, such as televisions or washing machines, are usually taken to the container park.

Werner Annaert of the Federation of Companies for Conservation suggests slapping a deposit on the price of appliances to make sure people don't throw them away with the normal garbage.

Despite the small percentage of electronic appliances that are recycled, the number of recycled appliances has actually doubled in the last four years. Belgium is still one of the leaders in Europe when it comes to recycling.

[flandersnews.be / Expatica]