SORTING MATTERS
WHAT
DEVICES ARE CONCERNED?
REUSE OR RECYCLE?
SORTING MATTERS
It's essential to sort out the equipment left in your drawers or forgotten in your cupboards, attics, etc. These abandoned devices deserve to be recycled or reused.
Sometimes, we are unsure
where to dispose of our
old/small electrical
and electronic devices.
But their place is not
in the regular trash.
Think reuse or recycling.
This simple action will reduce your environmental impact. Dropping off your old devices to dedicated collection points means recycling them and saving vital raw materials.
Your devices are a treasure trove of materials, some of which may be more harmful to the environment than others.There are also substances that are not eco-friendly, such as PCBs, mercury, cadmium, CFCs from refrigeration appliances and others.
At Ecotrel, we make sure that these bad components are properly eliminated, and that the good ones are reinjected into the economy.
WHAT DEVICES ARE CONCERNED?
From coffee machines to small toys, find out which electrical and electronic devices are concerned.
Heat transfer equipment
_______________________
Refrigeration equipment, air conditioners, oil bath radiators...
Lights
_______________________
Straight fluorescent tubes, compact fluorescent lamps, LED lamps…
Small equipment
_______________________
Vacuum cleaners, luminaires, microwaves, irons, toasters, electric kettles, clocks and watches, LED flashlights, electrical and electronic toys, fitness trackers and sports equipment, digital thermometers…
Screens
_______________________
Televisions, photo frames, monitors, laptops...
Large equipment
_______________________
Washing machines, clothes dryers, dish washing machines, cookers...
Small IT and telecommunication
equipment
_______________________
Mobile phones, webcam, personal computers, computer mice, smartwatches, headphones, chargers, MP3 players, electric toothbrushes and razors, Bluetooth mini speakers…
Your device is still working or can be fixed
Think about reuse and bring it to one of our Social ReUse ‘diagnosis points’. Who knows, your old toaster could become a star in a new home!
Click below to see the list of resource centers participating in the Social ReUse project.
Which devices can you drop off?
Large equipment
For example: washing machines, clothes dryers..
Small equipmentFor example: coffee machine, mixer…
IT equipmentFor example: Laptop, Smartphone…
Audio/video equipmentFor example: flat-screen TV, DVD player…
The social service provider Nei Aarbecht will take your devices back, prepare them for re-use and sell them from their store in Helmdange at a bargain price.
After a complete erasure of personal data, in compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), your IT equipment are then reconditioned and distributed to people who need access to information and communication by the social service provider Digital Inclusion ASBL.
This way, you contribute to increasing the life cycle of your devices by saving the resources needed to manufacture them while promoting social inclusion.
Your device has definitely expire
It can be recycled! Drop it off, for free, at one of our ‘resource centers’. It will be professionally recycled.
Click below to find your Resource Center.
You can also, return it to the next mobile collection organized by SuperDrecksKëscht fir Biirger initiative.
Click below to find out more about mobile collections
By recycling your devices, you limit the spread of the pollutants it may contain, which can present a harmful risk to our environment and health. You also reduce the waste of natural resources, by reinjecting the raw materials contained in your device into the economic cycle.
More options?
If you need a new device, hit two targets with one arrow.
You can return your old device
when you buy a new similar
or equivalent one from a retailer.
If your device external dimensions
are smaller than 25 cm, bring it
to a retailer with a store area
bigger than 400 m2.There is no obligation to buy.
Ecotrel ASBL is approved by the Ministry of the Environment, Climate and Sustainable Development, and organizes the collection and processing of waste electrical and electronic equipment in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.
" In 2024, Ecotrel collected more than 9,800 appliances for the Social ReUSe project. It's important to point out that 83% of the devices collected in this way, are put back on the market."
Andy Maxant
CEO Ecotrel & Member of the Board of Directors of the WEEE Forum
FAQ
If you have any questions, our FAQ will answer them - so many mysteries solved with just one click!
Why shouldn’t I throw my small devices in the regular trash?
Electric toothbrushes, thermometers, flashlights… small electrical and electronic devices contain components that can severely harm the environment if not properly handled. By dropping them off at your resource center, you help give them a second life while taking care of the planet.
What is ‘Social ReUse’?
Social ReUse is a project initiated by Ecotrel in partnership with ‘resource centers’. The goal of this project is to encourage the repair and reuse of electronic and electrical devices, while promoting social integration.
For further information: https://www.ecotrel.lu/en/news/social-reuse
Can all devices be refurbished under the ‘Social ReUse’ program?
Unfortunately, not. Devices impossible to repair, obsolete or the one which consume too much energy cannot be refurbished. So drop them off at one of our ‘resource centers’, where they will be professionally recycled.
What happens once your device has been collected by your resource center?
Your device is sorted, dismantled, and depolluted in Luxembourg. Ferrous metals are reused in the steel industry, while copper, zinc and aluminum are transformed into cables and electronic components. Plastics, meanwhile, are transformed into useful parts for the industry.
But beware: some devices require special treatment. For example, ozone-depleting CFC gases will be removed from refrigerators. Polyurethane foam residues will be used to produce manufacture powder, which will be used as an absorbent agent for firefighters, and cathode ray screens will be stripped of their heavy metals for recycling.
For more information: https://www.ecotrel.lu/en/citizen/what-happens-to-waste-of-electrical-and-electronic-equipments
Can I give my device to any collector?
Under no circumstances should you hand over appliances to a collector without checking that he/she has a waste disposal permit from the relevant authorities. This could be only a reason to make profits due to the high price of metals and raw materials. Ecological recycling cannot be guaranteed.
What about my old smartphone, computer or tablet?
IT devices like smartphones, tablets and laptops can be dropped off at a Social ReUse ‘diagnosis points’. Don't panic, all your personal data will be erased before these devices are reconditioned, in compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Afterwards, your devices will be given to the Digital Inclusion ASBL organization, which will distribute them to those who need a technological boost.
PS: don't forget to back up all your photos, videos, documents or other personal data on a hard drive or on your cloud.
How can I reduce my electrical waste?
First, we recommend you to sort your equipment. If you keep a flip phone for reasons of nostalgia, you might consider having it repaired or recycled (if it is too damaged). Whether or not you're a devotee of the Marie Kondō method, ask yourself if you really need to buy a new device. Maybe your old kettle still works just fine and doesn't need to be replaced with a model that makes coffee, tea and breakfast at the same time. And if you need a one shot device, you can always borrow one on this website. Other initiatives are also present in Luxembourg: for the more DIY-minded among you, there are the famous Repair Cafés.
Other initiatives are also present in Luxembourg: for the more DIY-minded among you, there are the famous Repair Cafés.
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