A surge in cheap, short-lived electronics is fuelling a growing e-waste crisis in the UK, according to new research from sustainability group Material Focus.
What Is Fast Tech And Why Does It Matter?
The term “fast tech” refers to low-cost, mass-produced electrical items such as mini-fans, earbuds, LED lights, charging cables, and novelty gadgets like light-up toilet seats and karaoke microphones. Like fast fashion, these products are typically bought on impulse, used briefly, and then discarded, often ending up in drawers, then bins … then landfill.
Warning Issued
Material Focus, a UK not-for-profit organisation focused on reducing electronic waste, has issued a clear warning that fast tech is booming, and it’s becoming one of the most environmentally harmful consumer trends. Through its Recycle Your Electricals campaign, the group has tracked rising demand and falling recycling rates and says the issue is now spiralling.
Sharp Rise in Fast Tech Spending
New data from the group shows that UK consumer spending on fast tech has risen sharply, from £2.8 billion in 2023 to a projected £11.6 billion by 2025. That includes more than £8 million spent last year on novelty items alone, with 7.9 million light-up toilet seats, LED balloons, sunset light projectors and similar gadgets sold in just 12 months.
Fast Use, Fast Disposal
The key point here is that what makes fast tech so problematic isn’t just the sheer volume of purchases, but what happens next. For example, despite containing valuable materials such as lithium, gold, aluminium and copper, over half of all fast tech products are either discarded in the bin or abandoned in drawers, never reaching proper recycling channels.
Material Focus estimates that a staggering 589 million small tech items will be thrown away or left unused in the UK this year alone (a 25 per cent increase on 2023 for example). That’s the equivalent of more than 2,200 football pitches covered in cheap electronics. Many of these items are poorly made, hard to repair, and not designed to last, making them difficult or impossible to recycle effectively.
“Fast tech might be cheap, but it’s not disposable,” said Scott Butler, executive director of Material Focus. “In fact, anything with a plug, battery or cable should never be binned.”
Fuelled By Seasonal Demand and Social Trends
One of the clearest examples of this growing problem came during last summer’s heatwave, which saw a 16 per cent year-on-year surge in demand for battery-powered mini-fans. Millions of these products were sold, many costing less than £5, but most were quickly discarded once the weather cooled.
Mini-fans may be the most visible symptom of the fast tech boom, but it’s worth noting that they’re far from the only culprits. For example, disposable vapes, cheap earbuds, USB sticks, LED party lights, and decorative solar lamps are now among the fastest-growing sources of e-waste in the UK.
An Average of 21 Fast Tech Items Each
A report by Material Focus has revealed that the average adult now owns 21 fast tech items, and buys nine more every year, while throwing away eight. The vast majority of these are either unused, stored out of sight, or incorrectly disposed of.
A Loss of Resources at Scale
The environmental cost goes far beyond the plastic waste. Fast tech items, however small, often contain valuable and finite raw materials. Previous research from Material Focus found that the UK’s unused electricals alone could contain over 38,000 tonnes of copper, a material that is critical to low-carbon technologies but is environmentally damaging to mine and process.
With global copper demand expected to outpace supply by 2030, the failure to recover materials from consumer tech waste is increasingly seen as a missed opportunity and a growing sustainability concern.
Repair and Recycling Barriers
Despite rising awareness, it appears that there remains a major disconnect between buying habits and disposal practices. For example, according to Material Focus, while 84 per cent of UK adults purchased at least one fast tech item last year, fewer than half of these items are recycled.
The organisation’s Recycle Your Electricals campaign includes a national locator tool for recycling points, and claims over 70 per cent of people now recycle unwanted larger tech products like laptops or TVs. However, the smaller the item, the less likely it is to be disposed of responsibly.
Sustainability experts warn that today’s throwaway tech culture is not inevitable. In fact, many point out that it’s a relatively modern trend and one that has accelerated in recent decades alongside cheaper manufacturing and faster retail cycles.
Change Is Possible
However, despite the gloomy findings, change is possible. For example, initiatives such as Right to Repair legislation and Extended Producer Responsibility schemes could help tackle the issue at its source. By encouraging product design that favours durability, ease of repair, and recyclability, and by making producers more accountable for what happens to their products at end of life, governments and regulators could help curb fast tech’s environmental toll.
Greenpeace UK has also warned about the particular problem of combining electronics with plastics. According to the group, these “toxic cocktail” products are very difficult to recycle and often end up being dumped in poorer countries with limited environmental protections.
Campaigners say the long-term solution must be a truly circular economy and one where manufacturers are incentivised to make products that last, and consumers are guided towards reuse, repair and recovery rather than single-use habits.
Why It Matters to Business
For UK businesses, the fast tech crisis is not just an environmental issue, but it also carries real regulatory and reputational risks. For example, companies involved in manufacturing, distributing or retailing these types of goods may soon face new scrutiny as policymakers turn their attention to the environmental impact of small electricals.
Extended Producer Responsibility requirements are already being tightened across various waste streams. As awareness grows, smaller tech products, particularly those containing batteries, are likely to be brought into sharper focus. Businesses may need to rethink how such products are marketed, labelled, and supported post-sale.
Retailers, in particular, are likely to come under pressure to provide in-store take-back schemes, promote repair-friendly products, or offer clearer disposal advice. Failing to act could damage brand perception, particularly among younger, sustainability-conscious consumers.
Opportunity For Innovation
At the same time, there appears to be an opportunity here for innovation. Companies offering sustainable alternatives, such as reusable or modular tech, certified refurbished goods, or community repair services, are already seeing growing demand.
A recent survey by WRAP found that 68 per cent of UK consumers would prefer to buy from brands that promote repair and recycling, while over half of under-35s are actively avoiding “throwaway” gadgets in favour of greener alternatives.
For now, however, the message from Material Focus is that the fast tech crisis isn’t going away, and the time to act is now. Whether through better design, smarter purchasing, or responsible end-of-life options, both businesses and individuals have a role to play in breaking the cycle.
What Does This Mean For Your Organisation?
Fast tech trend is no longer a fringe issue and, as Material Focus has highlighted, now appears to be shaping consumer habits, driving waste volumes, and locking away critical raw materials at an accelerating pace. While awareness may be rising, it seems that practical change remains uneven and limited, particularly when it comes to the small, cheap items that escape formal recycling systems. The mismatch between the scale of the problem and the systems in place to deal with it is growing, not shrinking.
For businesses, the message is becoming harder to ignore. Retailers and tech brands may soon be expected to take more responsibility for the afterlife of their products, not just the sale. That includes clearer labelling, support for repair schemes, and accessible recycling pathways. Businesses that fail to adapt could face regulatory pressure and reputational damage, while those that invest early in more circular models could find themselves gaining a competitive advantage in a shifting market.
Manufacturers may also come under pressure to change how they design and assemble products in the first place. Products that are easy to dismantle, built to last, and designed with repair and reuse in mind are likely to become more desirable to both regulators and customers. At the same time, public bodies, sustainability campaigners and local authorities all have a role to play in making responsible disposal easier and more visible.
Fast tech may have started as a convenience trend, but it is now creating lasting consequences across the economy, environment and supply chain. As the volume of fast tech continues to climb, the case for coordinated, large-scale intervention becomes stronger. For UK businesses, this is a chance to be part of the solution, not just another source of the problem.