This is how customers simply get rid of old smartphones and electronics

Do you want to get rid of your old or broken smartphone? The electric toothbrush has given up the ghost, but what to do with it? Discounters like Aldi and Lidl as well as supermarkets have to accept your e-waste and arrange for recycling. But there are exceptions that you should be aware of.

Virtually every household has that one box or drawer full of old chargers and smartphones. Surely many of them still have one or two Nokia bones or a clamshell phone from the time before Samsung’s Flip series. And the old devices are simply not getting any less. But what’s the best way to get rid of it?

Since July 1st: Dispose of smartphones at Lidl, Aldi, Rewe and Co.

Electronic devices – even small ones like smartphones, electric razors or cordless toothbrushes – belong in the hazardous waste so that they can be recycled. But no one wants to go to the recycling depot for every small part. The new Electrical and Electronic Equipment Act (ElektroG) provides a remedy. It stipulates that since January 1, 2022 too Supermarkets and discounters have to take back small electrical appliances (Source: Consumer Center North Rhine-Westphalia).

Before you make your way to the Aldi around the corner, there are a few things to consider: on the one hand, the law came into effect on January 1st, but a transitional period was granted there. Since July 1, 2022 However, the supermarkets must now have set up a corresponding acceptance point.

There they have to take back small electronic devices for recycling – even if you didn’t buy your smartphone and the like there. It is considered a small device everything with an edge length of less than 25 cm, Larger devices such as televisions only have to be accepted if the store offers them regularly and you buy a new device at the same time. On the other hand, consumers who only want to have their smartphone disposed of in the supermarket do not have to buy a new one.

You can also find out more about returns on the websites of Aldi talk, in the Aldi online shop (under point 6.10 “Take back old devices”), in the Lidl shop and on Amazon. The website offers a general overview of where you can hand in small devices in your area weee-return.de.

After our video you are well prepared for disposing of your electronic devices:

Hand in your cell phone or laptop: size matters

But not every shop is obliged to accept e-waste. The decisive factor is their size: the obligation applies to discounters and supermarkets with a sales area of ​​more than 800 square meters. If you want to be sure, check with the dealer of your choice beforehand whether they accept electronic devices. Incidentally, when buying from smaller online retailers, they must also offer to take old devices with them since July 1st.