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Electrical and Electronic Equipment Survey January 2006

Executive Summary

1 Introduction

2. Ownership of Electrical and Electronic Equipment

3. Replacement and Disposal of EEE

4. Promotion of Safe Disposal of EEE

Appendix: Supplementary Tables

2. Ownership of Electrical and Electronic Equipment

2.1 Ownership and rental profiles

Equipment owned

The item of electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) most commonly owned by a household was a television, followed by a mobile phone, computer monitor, computer (excluding monitor) and a laptop computer.

• Ninety-nine percent of New Zealanders surveyed claimed to own at least one television. There was little variation across demographics on television ownership.
• Eighty-eight percent claimed to own at least one mobile phone, with Auckland respondents more likely to claim to own a mobile phone. There was a trend by age, with younger respondents more likely to own a mobile phone. There was also a trend by income, with those on higher incomes more likely to own a mobile phone.
• Seventy-seven percent claimed to own at least one computer monitor. There was a trend by age, with younger respondents more likely to own a computer monitor.
• Seventy-three percent claimed to own at least one computer (excluding monitors). Similar to ownership of monitors, there was a trend by age, with younger respondents more likely to claim to own a computer.
• Thirty-three percent claimed to own at least one laptop computer. Auckland residents were more likely to own a laptop and those living in provincial areas less likely. There was a trend by age, with younger respondents more likely to own a laptop computer. There was also a trend by income, with those on higher incomes more likely to own a laptop computer.

Figure 1: Number of EEE owned*

View figure at full size including text description

The data were analysed to provide an average number for each EEE category per household. This showed that, on average:

• 2.2 televisions are owned per household, equating to 3.4 million televisions held in households
• 2.1 mobile phones are owned per household, equating to 3.3 million mobile phones
• 1.2 computer monitors are owned per household, equating to 1.9 million computer monitors
• 1.2 computers (excluding monitors) are owned per household, equating to 1.9 million computers
• 0.4 laptop computers are owned per household, equating to 0.6 million laptop computers.

Table 2: Number of EEE owned*

* Responses given to the question: "Can you please tell me how many of the following electronic items your household either owns or rents, including those no longer in use? Firstly, how many ... do you own?"

** Based on Projected households 2006 (Assuming medium fertility, medium mortality, medium migration and 'B' living arrangement types) - 1,553,000 households. Source: Statistics New Zealand, National Family and Household Projections 2001 (base) - 2021 Update.

Regional breakdowns of EEE ownership

The average number for each EEE category per household was calculated across four regions - Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and provincial New Zealand. On this basis:

• Auckland residents held 989,520 televisions, 235,600 laptop computers, 612,560 computers (excluding monitors), 612,560 computer monitors and 1,036,640 mobile phones
• Wellington residents held 355,000 televisions, 88,750 laptop computers, 213,000 computers (excluding monitors), 195,250 computer monitors and 408,250 mobile phones
• Christchurch residents held 504,720 televisions, 84,120 laptop computers, 231,330 computers (excluding monitors), 252,360 computer monitors and 462,660 mobile phones
• provincial residents held 1,525,920 televisions, 208,080 laptop computers, 762,960 computers (excluding monitors), 832,320 computer monitors and 1,387,200 mobile phones.

Table 3: Electronic and electrical equipment, by region*

* Based on Projected households by Regional Council Area 2006 (Assuming medium fertility, medium mortality, medium migration and 'B' living arrangement types). Source: Statistics New Zealand, Subnational Family and Household Projections: 2001 (base) - 2021 Update.

Equipment rented

The renting of EEE is clearly not a popular option, with no more than 3 percent renting any of the electronic items tested in the survey. In summary:

• no respondents claimed to rent a television
• 1 percent claimed to rent a laptop computer
• 1 percent claimed to rent a computer (excluding monitor)
• 1 percent claimed to rent two computer monitors
• 3 percent claimed to rent a mobile phone (2 percent one mobile phone, 1 percent two mobile phones).

Due to the small number of people who claimed to rent the items tested, it is not viable to extrapolate the total number of items rented in New Zealand across the five categories.

Table 4: Number of EEE rented*

* Responses given to the question: "How many ... do you rent?"

Electronic and electrical equipment held in storage

Households that rented or owned two or more of an electronic item were asked the number of items that were no longer in use. The largest categories of items owned or rented by respondents that were being stored by households while not in use are mobile phones, computer monitors and computers (excluding monitors), respectively.

Of those that rented or owned two or more of the following electronic items:

• 47 percent claimed that at least one mobile phone was no longer in use
• 46 percent claimed that at least one computer monitor was no longer in use
• 42 percent claimed that at least one computer (excluding monitor) was no longer in use
• 19 percent claimed that at least one laptop computer was no longer in use
• 18 percent claimed that at least one television was no longer in use.

Figure 2: Number of EEE held in storage*

View figure at full size including text description

Across households that rented or owned at least two of the electronic items tested in the survey, the average number of EEE held in storage per household, but no longer in use, for each category were:

• 0.2 televisions
• 0.2 laptop computers
• 0.6 computers (excluding monitors)
• 0.6 computer monitors
• 0.9 mobile phones.

Table 5: EEE held in storage*

Note: Base = those who rented OR owned two or more of an electronic item.

* Responses given to the question: "How many of your ... are no longer in use?"

Table 6 shows the percentage of households that own each electronic item and estimates of the total number of items held by households in New Zealand. The percentage of households that hold at least two of the electronic items tested is then outlined, and estimates are provided of the number of items no longer in use (based on the declared average number of items held in households that are no longer in use).

Extrapolating the proportion of items no longer in use for each category shows that 25 percent of mobile phones are no longer in use, 14 percent of computers (excluding monitors), 14 percent of computer monitors, 6 percent of televisions and 4 percent of laptop computers.

Table 6: Electronic and electrical equipment − summary table

* Based on Projected households 2006 (Assuming medium fertility, medium mortality, medium migration and 'B' living arrangement types) - 1,553,000 households. Source: Statistics New Zealand, National Family and Household Projections 2001 (base) - 2021 Update

** This assumes that households with only one of any item are currently using that item.

2.2 Reasons for Storing EEE

Respondents who claimed to have items that were no longer in use were asked their reasons for storing the item. Over the four categories tested, the most common reason for keeping the item was that it was still working and was kept as a backup, although the level of nominating this response varied between categories.

Figure 3: End of life habits of EEE*

View figure at full size including text description

The number of respondents with laptop computers no longer in use (n = 11) was too small to show as percentages, and is presented separately in Figure 3 below.

Figure 4: End of life habits − laptop computers*

View figure at full size including text description

Base = those who have a laptop computer no longer in use

*Responses given to the question: "Why have you kept the ...?"

Televisions

Fifty-one percent of respondents stated they had kept a television even though it was no longer in use because it was working and they were keeping it as a backup. Only 16 percent stated they had kept a television because it was working and were planning on giving it away, 11 percent that the item was broken and they did not know how to dispose of it, 6 percent that the item was broken but they believed it still had value, 4 percent that it was still working and they were planning to sell it, and 4 percent that it was broken and they were keeping it for spare parts. Twenty-four percent nominated a response that indicated the item was stored even though it was not working.

Table 7: End of life habits − televisions*

Note: Base = 12 percent of respondents, those who have televisions no longer in use, n = 89.

* Responses given to the question: "Why have you kept the ...?"

Laptop computers

Only 11 respondents claimed to have a laptop computer that was no longer in use. Because the sub-sample is so small, the results are not statistically representative and are reported only as "n =" rather than as percentages. Of the 11 respondents, five stated they had kept a laptop computer because it was working and they were keeping it as a backup, and another four respondents that it was broken and they were keeping it for spare parts.

Table 8: End of life habits − laptop computers*

Notes: Base = 2 percent of respondents, those who have laptop computers no longer in use, n = 11. Due to small sample size, numbers are given instead of percentages.

* Responses given to the question: "Why have you kept the...?"

Computers

Twenty-five percent of respondents stated they had not disposed of a computer because it was working and they were keeping it as a backup. Nineteen percent stated the computer was broken and they did not know how to dispose of it, 19 percent that it was working and were planning on giving it away, 15 percent that it was broken and they were keeping it for spare parts, 7 percent that it was still working and they were planning to sell it, and 3 percent that the item was broken but they believed it still had value.

Thirty-seven percent nominated a response that indicated that the item was stored even though it was not working. Keeping a computer for spare parts was a more common reason for keeping the item than for other electronic items tested, as was lack of knowledge of how to dispose of the item.

Table 9: End of life habits − computers*

Note: Base = 12 percent of respondents, those who have computer no longer in use, n = 88.

* Responses given to the question: "Why have you kept the...?"

Mobile phones

Forty-two percent of respondents stated they had kept a mobile phone because it was working and they were keeping it as a backup. Nineteen percent stated the mobile phone was working and they were planning on giving it away, 11 percent that it was broken and they did not know how to dispose of it, 7 percent that it was broken but they believed it still had value, 3 percent that it was still working and they were planning to sell it, and another 3 percent that it was broken and they were keeping it for spare parts. Twenty-two percent nominated a response that indicated that the item was stored even though it was not working.

Table 10: End of life habits − mobile phones*

Note: Base = 27 percent of respondents, those who have mobile phones no longer in use, n = 204.

* Responses given in answer to the question: "Why have you kept the ...?"