Households need to stop tech hoarding and consider reusing, repairing or recycling their old or broken electrical items, a watchdog is warning. We all need to declutter our kitchen cupboards, attics and sheds for forgotten electrical items, the European Recycling Platform (ERP) says. Today's top videos STORY CONTINUES BELOW A poll by Ireland’s only pan-European compliance scheme for waste electrical items, known as WEEE, to mark World Earth Day today, shows almost one in three adults – 32% – say they are holding on to items because they have not got around to recycling them. Mobile phone charging, close up. Pic: Getty Images A further 15% say they are holding onto old electronics because they might repair them in future. ERP’s Ireland boss James Burgess said homes here are full of ‘old and forgotten mobile phones, laptops, tablets and gadgets that we haven’t touched in years’. ‘World Earth Day, just after Easter, is the perfect moment to take stock and do something positive for the planet. We want people to consider how their old tech can have a new lease of life, either by being repaired, or by being recycled so its components can be used again,’ he added. Pic: Thaspol Sangsee/Shutterstock The research also reveals a shift in how Irish consumers view technology as refurbished tech grows in popularity, with 44% of people having bought second-hand or refurbished electronics before. Gen Z – those born between 1997 and 2012 – are leading the charge, with three in five opting for refurbished tech, compared to just one in four, or 26%, of Baby Boomers, people born from 1946 to 1964. Smartphones top the list of most commonly bought refurbished items at 51%, followed by laptops (26%) and tablets (14%). Pic: Getty Images Quality, price, and warranty matter most to consumers when purchasing refurbished motivators, and tellingly, there has been a 6% increase in people holding onto old electronics with the intention to repair them in the past year, but not getting around to it. This World Earth Day, ERP is reminding the public that repairing and recycling are central to ensuring a circular economy. ‘We need to move away from a throwaway culture – and that starts at home. ‘We’re asking everyone to take a moment to clear out those forgotten items and consider bringing them for repair where possible or taking them to a local recycling centre if needed. Don’t let them gather dust – let them make a difference,’ Mr Burgess added. ERP Ireland launches its Free Electrical Drop Off Events schedule for 2025 this week, with events announced for Cavan, Clare, Dublin, Kerry, Meath, and Monaghan. The programme offers householders an accessible central collection point to bring their unused and broken electrical items and used batteries for recycling. ERP Ireland has also partnered with Lidl Ireland to offer a series of free household electrical recycling events at some of the retail chain’s stores. Find your nearest ERP Free Electrical Drop Off Event at erp-recycling.org/ie/.