Bocholt, October 13th, 2023 - Electronic devices contain valuable raw materials, the extraction of which often consumes a lot of energy or water. Too few of these products are still recycled properly - a fact that the annual E-Waste Day on 14 October draws attention to. To mark the occasion, Gigaset is launching a partnership with the social enterprise Closing the Loop: With every new purchase in the online shop, Gigaset offers that in return a defective device will be collected and recycled in countries without recycling infrastructure. In this way, valuable materials remain in the cycle.
Not even half of the electrical appliances purchased in Germany are disposed of properly. According to the German Federal Environment Agency (UBA), around 86,000 tonnes per year end up in residual waste rather than being recycled - even though old appliances in particular can contain hazardous pollutants. "We know that the careful use of resources is important to our customers," says Jörg Brühl, Senior Vice President Marketing at Gigaset. "As a manufacturer of electronic devices, we have always seen ourselves as having a responsibility for the environment and future generations. In recent weeks, we have therefore been working intensively on our cooperation with Closing the loop, which we are now launching in time for E-Waste Day."
One for One: one bought, one recycled
Closing the Loop is a social enterprise that helps tech users and sellers around the world take a first step towards sustainable consumption. Through Closing the Loop's recycling services, electronic products such as phones, smartphones, laptops and tablets become "waste neutral". This concept is called One for One: for every new device purchased in the Gigaset online shop, a defective device is recycled in return: Closing the Loop collects old electronic products for Gigaset in countries where there is no recycling infrastructure and brings them to Europe for professional recycling. This approach not only prevents e-waste from ending up in landfills, but also supports local communities and ensures that valuable metals such as gold, silver and copper are recovered and returned to the cycle.
When buying a new smartphone or phone in the Gigaset online shop, customers can select an option in the check-out process and help recycle valuable resources for €4.99 per new device as of November. Gigaset rewards this commitment to the environment with a 15 percent voucher for the next purchase in the online shop. Further information on the cooperation can be found here.
Fair for Future
A visible sign of Gigaset's commitment to fairness, sustainability and future tasks is the Fair for Future seal of attentiveness. Gigaset has been concerned with fair treatment of the environment for a very long time. The company has been producing for many decades in the middle of Germany, more precisely in Bocholt in Westphalia - with green electricity, recycled or recyclable plastic and paper, little water and as little CO2 as possible. Today, Gigaset also does not use natural gas for its production processes. More information on Fair for Future can be found here.