The joint policy paper by Zero Waste Europe, ECOS, EEB, IFIXIT and Rreuse complements Digital Europe’s publication “The Contribution of the Digital Industry in a Circular Economy” with additional perspectives, and challenges the digital industry’s conclusions with regard to policy options.

These include an observation that the 28,000 tonnes of Category 3 IT equipment being shipped for repair or reuse annually in Europe represent only 2.2% of ICT products placed on the market, and 4.5% of the e-waste collected.

The strategies being applied to ensure longevity in the digital industry are also insufficiently comprehensive. In practice the lifetime of many IT products is linked to that of the battery, as this has become impossible to change and its degradation thus defines the performance of the overall device.
In response to DIGITALEUROPE, the authors believe that while repair centers organized or certified by manufacturers certainly have a role to play, the example of the automotive industry

shows that the two systems should not be opposed.

, with manufacturers required to make spare parts and information available to independent repairers whilst also offering certified repair services,