The European Week for Waste Reduction gets into full swing in the Principality of Monaco.
- M Abti
- 20 hours ago
- 3 min read
The widespread use of electrical and electronic equipment in everyday life, both professionally and in leisure time is proving to be particularly impactful for end-of-life products, straining the ambitious objectives set by the European Union.
The amount of Waste of Electrical and Electronic Equipment - WEEE - is growing at a significant rate of +2% per year (about 2.6 million tonnes annually), achieving a global record rate of 62 million tonnes in 2022 with a growth forecast (source: the global E-waste Monitor 2024) up to +32% (= 82 million tonnes).
As a matter of fact, E-waste includes a wide range of products: computers, tablets, smartphones, televisions, printers, gaming consoles, and countless other electronic gadgets that are essential to modern life. End-of-life refrigerators, photovoltaic panels, light bulbs, e-cigarettes and even electric bicycles are equally included in the group.
Not by chance, the 2025 European Week for Waste Reduction EWWR- Semaine Européenne de la Réduction des Déchets SERD is focused on this type of waste. The Principality of Monaco participates for the seventh consecutive year in the initiative underway between November the 22nd and November 30th 2025 throughout a series of initiatives involving various social groups, companies, institutions, and schools.
The Direction de l'Environnement (Monaco's Government Department of the Environment) has developed a series of events open to everyone and easily downloadable through the official QR code. At the same time a targeted information guide and quiz game on Déchets d’Équipements Électriques et Électroniques - DEEE/D3E (=WEEE) is reachable through D3Es available on the Your Monaco app.
A 24/24 collection point is currently active at the Centre Commercial de Fontvieille for small electronic devices, in collaboration with SMA and Semeurs d'Espoir. Meanwhile, several collection points are organised on Monaco urban territory, operated by Monaco Green Box, Eco science Provence, and SMA. Further initiatives fostering 3Rs Reduce, Reuse and Recycle approach and eco-gestures are being carried out until the end of the month.
Raising awareness on the topic among the large public is crucial to foster sustainable behaviours that can make a difference. The WEEE waste must be treated with appropriate care because of their unique nature. In fact, on one hand they contain valuable resources such as gold, silver, copper, platinum, and rare earth elements that are particularly impactful whose extraction requires large amounts of energy.
On the other hand, they are made of hazardous materials like lead, mercury, cadmium, gold and platinum capable of seriously polluting natural ecosystems while compromising the health of human beings. Thus, recycling them instead of extracting new ones is particularly significant from an environmental point of view, preventing greenhouse gas emissions and dissemination of highly toxic substances.
The 2025 European Week for Waste Reduction in Monaco is addressed to engage local and international community based in the Principality in acting to make WEEE waste management more sustainable and set an example for future generations and other urban communities. ***
✒️ Maurice Abbati
Strategic Communication Specialist, Editor in Chief, Journalist, Executive.
Lecturer and Author in English in the field of Environmental Communication to foster Circular and Blue Economy.
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