Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to reduce electronic waste.

This Government is committed to transitioning to a circular economy. The UK is exposed to significant supply risks: 80% of the UK’s raw material footprint is extracted abroad, including almost all of the metal ores we use. A transition to a circular economy could improve UK resource security by protecting the UK from future global resource depletion.

We have convened a Circular Economy Taskforce to help us develop a Circular Economy Strategy for England. The Strategy will be supported by a series of roadmaps detailing the interventions that the government will make on a sector-by-sector basis, supporting government’s Missions to kickstart economic growth and make Britain a clean energy superpower. We are considering the evidence for sector-specific interventions right across the economy, including in electronic waste, as we develop our Strategy.

Funds generated under the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Regulations 2013 include a postcode locator guiding householders to their nearest location to safely recycle, donate or repair unwanted equipment. The Recycle Your Electricals campaign also provides advice on how to remove personal data from gadgets

We have also introduced a ban on the sale and supply of Single-Use Vapes from 1 June 2025 meaning that from this date wasteful single-use vape products will no longer be available. Later this year we will introduce legislation to ensure online marketplaces and vape producers are paying their fair share towards recycling costs.