Do you want to get rid of your old or broken smartphone? The electric toothbrush has given up the ghost, but what to do with it? Discounters like Aldi and Lidl, but also other supermarkets, will soon have to take electronic waste away. But there are a few things to consider.
Practically every household has this one box or drawer full of old chargers, smartphones, and many of them certainly still have one or two Nokia bones or a clamshell phone from the time before Samsung’s Flip series. And the old devices are simply not getting any less. But what’s the best way to get rid of it?
At Lidl, Aldi, Rewe: hand in old smartphones from July 2022
Electronic devices – even small ones like smartphones, electric razors or cordless toothbrushes – belong in the hazardous waste so that they can be recycled. But no one wants to go to the recycling depot for every small part. The new Electrical and Electronic Equipment Act (ElektroG) provides a remedy. It stipulates that since January 1, 2022 too Supermarkets and discounters have to take back small electrical appliances (Source: consumer center NRW).
Before you head to the Aldi around the corner, there are a few things to consider: on the one hand, the law came into effect on January 1st, but a transitional period is allowed there. Until July 1, 2022 the supermarkets have time to set up a collection point.
From then on, they have to take back small electronic devices for recycling – even if you didn’t buy your smartphone and the like there. It is considered a small device everything with an edge length of less than 25 cm, Larger devices such as televisions only have to be accepted if the store offers them regularly and you buy a new device at the same time. Consumers who only want to have their smartphone disposed of in the supermarket do not have to buy a new one.
After our video you are well prepared for disposing of your electronic devices:
Only large supermarkets are obliged to accept
But not every shop is obliged to accept e-waste. The decisive factor is the size: the obligation applies to discounters and supermarkets with a sales area of more than 800 square meters. If you want to be on the safe side, you can find out in advance from the dealer of your choice whether electrical devices will be accepted and when the service will be available. When buying from smaller online retailers, they must also offer to take old devices with them from July 1st.