What do we see?
Comparing the use state of EEE items as a whole, we can see that the number of EEE products ‘in use’ has increased, from 83% in 2015 to 86% in 2019. In 2019, white goods were most likely to remain in use and least likely to be stored once they were broken. Brown goods, such as projectors, are the items most frequently left unused even when they are still in working order. ICT goods, such as PC monitors, are most often stored away when faulty, as opposed to being repaired or recycled.
What’s the aim?
In a circular economy we aim to reduce the number of products and the amount of resources that are needed to fulfil a certain function. To do this, the use efficiency and intensity of these products needs to increase. Storing and stocking unused products in households goes directly against this goal. It also means that a lot of resources are lost since the products are not being used, repaired or recycled. This trend needs to be turned around. Finally, we must develop new business models that allow us to increase the use intensity of products that are still in working order. Models such as a sharing economy and products as a service are possible solutions.
What does this indicator measure?
This indicator describes the use status of EEE items owned by Flemish households. The data was provided by Recupel.
