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The study, published in , found that only around 2% to 2.5% of devices observed at a municipal recycling centre were considered suitable for reuse. By contrast, analysis of items taken to Repair Cafés showed that 50% were successfully repaired and another 28% were potentially repairable. 

The findings suggest that community repair services and local maker spaces should become a formal part of the UK’s electronic waste system. Better decisions about whether products should be repaired, reused, dismantled for parts or recycled could reduce waste, recover valuable materials and prevent unnecessary carbon emissions. Most products in the analysis became obsolete within four to eight years, with mobile phones lasting around four and a half years. 

Researchers examined 10,678 UK Repair Café records and conducted site visits at Slyfield Recycling Centre and a Repair Café in Guildford. They combined these observations with government emissions data and mathematical models to test how electronic waste could be transported, assessed and processed more efficiently. The models also considered costs, waiting times, staffing capacity and the recovery of materials such as copper from old mobile phones.

The researchers developed an integrated framework in which recycling centres act as coordination hubs, directing products to repair services, maker spaces and specialist processors. Its decision system weighs cost, carbon emissions and processing time to identify the most appropriate route for each product. 

The findings support producer-financed collection schemes and stronger take-back responsibilities for manufacturers and online marketplaces. They also call for community repair organisations to receive formal recognition, funding and skills support rather than remaining disconnected volunteer initiatives.

ENDS 

Note to editors: 

• For interviews with Sheeba Pathak, please contact: mediarelations@surrey.ac.uk 
• The full study has been published in