Europe Innovates Eco-Friendly Solutions to Combat Electronic Waste

As Europe’s demand for electronic devices surges, so does the challenge of managing e-waste. With approximately 5 million tonnes of electronic waste recycled annually—equivalent to over 11 kg per EU household—less than 40% of electronics placed on the market are reclaimed, leaving the remainder vulnerable to landfill disposal due to complex material composition.

The SUSTRONICS Initiative: Pioneering Sustainable Electronics

To address this pressing issue, the EU-funded SUSTRONICS project, led by Philips and encompassing 46 partners across 11 countries, is reimagining electronics manufacturing. This three-year initiative, concluding in May 2026, emphasizes:

• Smarter Design: Incorporating bio-based, paper-based, and abundant materials to ease recycling and repair.
• Material Innovation: Substituting scarce and environmentally damaging elements like silver with copper or carbon to reduce environmental impact while maintaining performance.
• Energy Efficiency: Optimizing device software to minimize power consumption, especially crucial for continuously operating medical electronics.

These efforts align with the EU’s 2024 eco-design and right-to-repair regulations that promote longer product lifespans, simpler repairs, and a circular economy ethos.

Healthcare: A Testing Ground for Sustainable Electronics

Healthcare devices, often single-use and rapidly discarded, serve as prime candidates for sustainability pilots under SUSTRONICS. Notable projects include:

• Smart Incontinence Pads: Developed by Essity Hygiene and Health, these pads employ recyclable electronic strips and reusable clip-on readers to monitor changing needs, enhancing patient comfort and dignity.
• Glucose-Monitoring Skin Patches: Designed for reusability to replace current single-use models.
• Smart Wound Dressings: Capable of signaling timely replacements while minimizing waste.

Looking Forward: EU Circular Economy Goals

The SUSTRONICS work complements upcoming EU policies, notably the Circular Economy Act slated for 2026. This legislation aims to:

• Establish a Single Market for secondary raw materials.
• Boost supply and demand for high-quality recycled materials.
• Elevate Europe’s circular material use from 12% to 24% by 2030, supporting the broader Clean Industrial Deal goals.

By demonstrating practical applications in healthcare and consumer electronics, SUSTRONICS exemplifies how sustainable materials and design can underpin European industry competitiveness and environmental responsibility.

References & Further Reading:

• Eurostat Electronic Waste Statistics
• SUSTRONICS Project: [CORDIS link]
• EU Circular Economy Act and Clean Industrial Deal
• EU Green Deal Industrial Plan

Research funded by the EU Horizon Programme. Views expressed do not necessarily reflect the European Commission.

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