What Should You Do With Your Old Electronics After the Holidays? An LCA Perspective

What Should You Do With Your Old Electronics After the Holidays? An LCA Perspective

By César Camou, Sustainability Analyst

The end-of-year celebrations have passed, and many people are starting the new year with a brand-new electronic device — a smartphone, tablet, or laptop. At the same time, an older device often sits nearby, still functional but no longer the latest model. That raises a common question: what is the most responsible thing to do with it?

This situation is more common than one might think. According to Visa, purchases of electronic devices increase by up to 5.8% during December and January, which correlates with a rise in the replacement and end-of-life disposal of devices that ultimately become Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE). Before a device is classified as WEEE, there are several options to extend its useful life.

If the device is still functional, it could be donated, given away, or sold to someone else. If it is damaged, it might be repaired and then donated or sold, or its components could be sold to repair technicians who reuse certain parts. If the device is no longer functional, taking it to a recycling facility is generally preferable to disposing of it together with household waste.

Each of these options may seem reasonable, and in practice, many of them are. However, a critical factor often overlooked is the environmental impact associated with each end-of-life pathway. WEEE frequently contains substances that are harmful to both human health and the environment and is therefore commonly classified as hazardous waste.

This is where Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) becomes a valuable decision-support tool. LCA allows us to compare and analyze these alternatives by breaking them down into their main processes and material flows, helping identify which stages contribute most to environmental impacts. While it may feel intuitive to assume that reuse or repair is always environmentally preferable to recycling or replacement, LCA studies show that this is not always the case. Outcomes depend heavily on the assumptions made and the system boundaries defined in the analysis.

Scenario 1: Reuse 

Consider a first scenario in which a used device is sold to another user. This option may reduce environmental impacts by avoiding the production of a new device. However, if this option involves transporting the device by airplane to another continent, the overall environmental impact could increase significantly. In such a case, donating the device to a nearby school or selling it locally for spare parts might be a more sustainable option.

Scenario 2: Repair, Refurbishment, or Recycling

Now consider a second scenario in which the device is no longer functional and must either be repaired or recycled. Repairing the device may require importing a replacement part from the other side of the world. Even if shipping costs are low, the long distances and multiple transportation stages can significantly increase environmental impacts. Recycling, on the other hand, may also involve complex logistics. Even when a device is delivered to a local collection center, mechanical and chemical recycling processes often take place across several countries, as these operations are typically handled by specialized global companies.

At this stage, careful attention must be paid to how the function and functional unit are defined in the LCA to ensure a fair comparison. In this case, we are comparing the reuse of a repaired device that requires an imported spare part with the purchase of a new device and the recycling of the old one. Some studies report that the first option results in lower environmental impacts. However, if the use of the device (whether new or repaired) were not explicitly defined in the function, the comparison could lead to different conclusions.

Importantly, this does not suggest discouraging recycling when it is necessary. On the contrary, recycling can be beneficial, for example, by recovering valuable materials such as lithium oxide or indium oxide for the production of new batteries and touchscreens, which may have lower environmental impacts than mining and processing virgin materials.

Scenario 3: Throw it Out

In a third scenario, imagine that, due to certain constraints, it is not even possible to send a non-functional device to a recycling facility. In this case, the decision may be between landfilling and incineration. Here again, LCA can provide insights into which option may result in lower environmental impacts under specific conditions.

As these examples illustrate, deciding what to do with an electronic device that is becoming obsolete (or that is about to become part of WEEE statistics) is a complex process involving many variables, and it can feel overwhelming. The goal of LCA is precisely to support decision-making in situations like these, particularly for users dealing with non-functional electronic equipment.

This is especially relevant in the context of exponential growth in hardware for data centers and devices capable of supporting the performance demands of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence. In the short term, this growth will generate increasing amounts of WEEE that must be managed in a comprehensive and responsible manner.

What Should You Do? LCA-Informed Recommendations

Based on findings from multiple LCA studies, general recommendations for managing electronic devices you no longer plan to use include:

Always evaluate whether a new device is truly necessary before purchasing it. 

If it is, then:

• If the device is still functional, consider donating, giving it away, or selling it locally within your community.
• If the device requires repair, take it to a local repair shop, where technicians can help determine whether repair or recycling is the better option.
• For recycling, choose authorized local recycling centers that comply with current regulations, ensuring proper processing and reducing the risk of exposure to and emissions of harmful substances.

Through Life Cycle Assessment, more informed decisions can be made to support the circularity of electronic equipment and the integrated management of WEEE. By evaluating multiple scenarios and parameters, LCA helps identify alternatives that may increase or reduce environmental impacts, ultimately guiding better choices.

References:

CNBC. (2025). Holiday retail spending rose 4.2% this season, driven by e-commerce and electronics: Visa report. CNBC. https://www.cnbc.com/2025/12/23/holiday-retail-spending-visa-report-2025.html

Kuehr, R. (2025). Electronic waste rising five times faster than documented e-waste recycling: UN. SCYCLE. https://www.scycle.info/electronic-waste-rising-five-times-faster/

Sarkhoshkalat, M. M., Afkham, A., Bonyadi Manesh, M., & Sarkhosh, M. (2024). Circular economy and the recycling of e-waste. In K. Kasinathan, R. Ladchumananandasivam, & S. B. Mohamed (Eds.), New technologies for energy transition based on sustainable development goals (pp. 319–354). Springer Nature Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-97-2527-4_16

Bovea, M. D., Ibáñez-Forés, V., & Pérez-Belis, V. (2020). Repair vs. replacement: Selection of the best end-of-life scenario for small household electric and electronic equipment based on life cycle assessment. Journal of Environmental Management, 254, 109679. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2019.109679