Toaster
Philips HD2581
As a small electrical appliance, this toaster falls under an EU-wide obligation to take back and recycle waste electrical equipment. The target is to collect and process at least every second device. On average, a toaster like this yields around 0.6 kg of recycled raw materials — and about 0.5 kg of waste that is incinerated for energy recovery. The toaster contains a lot of steel, which can be almost completely recovered. In contrast, only about 20% of the plastics typically remain in circulation.
The redesign makes the reduced amount of recycled plastic visible: the insulating protective function is lost, the metal housing is exposed, and the cable is significantly shortened. Toasting remains possible, but usage becomes less comfortable and potentially hazardous.
As a small electrical appliance, this toaster falls under an EU-wide obligation to take back and recycle waste electrical equipment. The target is to collect and process at least every second device. On average, a toaster like this yields around 0.6 kg of recycled raw materials — and about 0.5 kg of waste that is incinerated for energy recovery. The toaster contains a lot of steel, which can be almost completely recovered. In contrast, only about 20% of the plastics typically remain in circulation.
The redesign makes the reduced amount of recycled plastic visible: the insulating protective function is lost, the metal housing is exposed, and the cable is significantly shortened. Toasting remains possible, but usage becomes less comfortable and potentially hazardous.