Earth Day is a time for us to look at local solutions

Edinburgh’s e-waste recycling scheme points the way to a better world

22 April, Earth Day, is a reminder electronic waste is a serious environmental challenge so it should be disposed of responsibly

The environment and human health and wellbeing are in focus at present, with Monday’s worldwide Earth Day shining a spotlight on positive actions which can be made locally to safeguard the planet.

One thing we can all do to help the cause is find a way to repair, recycle or re-use old tech, the raison d’être for award-winning social enterprise The Edinburgh Remakery. Colleagues from LGT Wealth Management in Edinburgh recently spent time helping it segregate e-waste, and prepare materials for the charity’s forthcoming textile workshops. It was also a chance to hand in a range of electronic equipment no longer in use, including old routers, cameras and mobile phone chargers. And LGT Wealth Management will have one of Edinburgh Remakery’s tech donation boxes at our Edinburgh offices as a way for us to pass on old electronic devices.

If you’re struggling to know what to do with old cameras, mobiles, laptops, and tablets, you’re not alone. Electronic waste is a growing consequence of generations of obsolete tech, which often ends up in a box in a cupboard or, worse still, thrown away as refuse. This is not waste which should be thrown into landfill as electronics contain toxic substances detrimental to human health, water and soil. If electronic waste is dumped or incorrectly recycled, hazardous materials such as lead and mercury present a real risk.

Julie Hutchison is Technical Director for Charities, LGT Wealth Management

From its new premises at the foot of Leith Walk, the Edinburgh Remakery diverted almost 45 tonnes of electronic waste from landfill in 2023, of which around three quarters was repaired and a quarter responsibly recycled. Edinburgh Remakery doesn’t just focus on recycling, its positive social impact also tackles digital exclusion, making refurbished devices available for sale at more accessible prices.

Over 9,000 tech items have been refurbished and sold to date, raising money which is then put to good use by the charity when delivering its programme of activities. Beyond this, its tech gifting programme distributes devices for use in the local community, enabling more people to get online.

The Edinburgh Remakery also runs a Repair Café, as part of a global network of thousands of centres that stretch across Europe to Asia, offering support with repairs in order to pass on the skills many of us have never learned. Every Friday between 11am-1pm anyone needing help with tech repairs – such as laptops, monitors, and games consoles – can drop in. Repair Cafés are a further step towards a circular economy, extending the life of products and moving away from the linear economy where resources are extracted, turned into goods, then thrown away.

This Earth Day, if you have a box with old chargers and devices, don’t throw it away. Take it along to Edinburgh Remakery if you live nearby, or donate your tech waste by placing it in one of their tech donation boxes; a map with their locations around Edinburgh can be found on the charity’s website.

And it goes without saying that charities like Edinburgh Remakery are always looking for more support and volunteers. They should also be celebrated as we look ahead to Earth Day.