Circular Electronics Initiative is an international network with 29 member organizations. The purpose is to encourage society to use electronic goods sustainably.

Part of the core activities is to inspire decision-makers, businesses, and consumers to use and manage electronics in a more circular way.

In today’s linear economy, we take virgin natural resources to manufacture products, which often have a short lifespan before they are discarded. This leads to a number of serious sustainability issues, affecting human health and the environment. Valuable natural resources are depleted and toxic e-waste is accumulating at the record rate of 60 million metric tonnes every year. This equals the weight of 6,000 Eiffel towers! Adding to the problem, e-waste is often handled in unsafe ways, leading to human health problems and environmental degradation.

In a circular economy, resources are handled in a more sustainable way. The goal is to extend product lifetime and recirculate all materials without producing any waste. For electronics, this means reducing virgin resource extraction, extending the use-life of products and minimizing waste and pollution.