3 times the Titanic: this is how much e-waste was recycled in 2023

In 2023, we set a strong example for the environment. Together with our recycling partners, over 132,000 tonnes of appliances were recycled. That's as much as three Titanics put together. Compared to the previous year, this is an increase of 9%.

In addition to the volume of refrigerators, freezers and air conditioners processed, which increased by 20% in 2023, the volume of electronic appliances collected also rose by 13% compared to the previous year. This is despite the fact that the volume has been declining overall for around ten years. The reason for this is the trend towards ever smaller electronic appliances (miniaturisation). 
The amount of large electrical appliances recycled also increased again in the reporting year (+6%). These include washing machines, ovens and dishwashers, for example. An increase of 7% was also recorded for small electrical appliances such as coffee machines, toasters and hair dryers. In contrast, there was a significant decline of -40% in the number of photovoltaic modules. This is due to the fact that an above-average number of photovoltaic elements had to be disposed of in 2022 due to hail damage in 2021. More on this in the technical report article Quantities 2023.

The Technical Report 2024 contains further information on the recycling of electrical appliances. You can find an overview of all articles here. 

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