Over half surveyed report they keep electronic waste at home

A recent survey conducted by All About Macau indicates that over 50 percent of survey respondents have been keeping electronic devices that they no longer use such as phones or household appliances, at home.

The news agency’s online questionnaire received more than 200 replies, with women representing more than 60 percent of respondents, most of them aged between 20 to 40 years old. Ten percent of respondents are younger than 20 years old, and only less than ten percent are aged between 40 and 60 years.

About 54 percent of individuals said they keep household appliances that they no longer use, whereas 30 percent of this group gave these products to their friends and family. Sixty percent of respondents said that they retain unused personal electronic devices. The remainder of respondents indicated that they throw all electrical goods away, donate them to charities, return them to producers, sell them to second-hand shops, or even keep them in collections.

Around 78 percent of the interviewees believe that if the government enacts more policies and measures promoting environmental protection, then the amount of electronic waste might be reduced. 84.2 percent say that the small number of recycling spots is one of the reasons preventing them from recycling electronic waste, while 27.8 percent recommend the government arrange battery recycling boxes in every building in Macau.

In addition, more than half of the interviewees own two or more phones, while 45 percent say that they only have one mobile device. More than 40 percent upgrade to a new phone every two to three years. Those who use one phone for three or more years account for only 20 percent.