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
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.
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
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.
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.
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.