The Hague chooses to repair: give electronics a second life

In The Hague, more than 4,000 kilos of electronic devices are thrown away daily. Some of these can often be easily repaired. With the campaign Give your electronics a second life, the municipality aims to make it easier to have devices repaired. Repairing has many benefits, not only for the environment but also offers opportunities for local entrepreneurs and saves money.

Alderman Arjen Kapteijns (Raw Materials): It is very nice to see that The Hague is taking steps towards a sustainable and circular economy. However, many items are still unnecessarily thrown away daily. We can and must do this differently. Repairing broken devices instead of immediately purchasing new ones is a great example of this. This gives residents of The Hague the opportunity to actively contribute to a circular economy. Together, we can combat waste and contribute to a cleaner city.

Electronic waste in focus

To illustrate how many old devices are thrown away daily, a container will be placed in front of the city hall on May 19. This will be filled with the symbolic weight of electronic waste that is collected daily in The Hague. This impressive pile, weighing over 4,000 kilos, makes it clear that we urgently need to find smart, sustainable ways to deal with discarded devices.

Repairing is smarter

A broken coffee maker, hairdryer, or mobile phone can often still be easily repaired. Instead of immediately buying a new device, it is often worth looking into repair first. You save money, help the environment, and support craftsmen in The Hague who give devices a second life. Three good reasons not to throw something away immediately but to be more mindful with your belongings.

Find help in your neighborhood

At Start link:www.denhaag.nl/repareren, end link., you can easily find a repairer or repair café near you. Craftsmen and volunteers will use their knowledge and skills to work on broken devices and give them a new life.