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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

3. Replacement and Disposal of EEE

3.1 General

Respondents were asked the frequency with which they replaced particular categories of electronic items. A mobile phone was the item likely to be replaced with greatest frequency, with 30 percent claiming they replaced their mobile phone in less than two years. Equivalent figures for laptop computers, computers and televisions were 15 percent, 8 percent and 2 percent, respectively.

A laptop computer and computer were the items most likely to never have been replaced (37 percent and 29 percent, respectively). This compares with 18 percent for mobile phones and 14 percent for televisions across the same indicator.

Figure 5: Replacement of EEE*

View figure at full size including text description

Those who had replaced their television, laptop, computer or mobile phone at some stage, were asked about their method of disposal. These varied across the categories tested, with the top two disposal methods for each category being:

• for televisions: "gave it to a friend or family member" and "dumped it'"
• for laptop computers: "continue to use the old item"; "gave it to a friend or family member" and "council collection" were second equal
• for computers: "gave it to a friend or family member" and "stored it"
• for mobile phones: "gave it to a friend or family member" and "stored it".

Figure 6: Disposal of EEE*

View figure at full size including text description

3.2 Televisions

Replacement

A majority (66 percent) of respondents claimed to keep their television at least five years before replacing it. Two percent claimed they replaced their television in less than two years, 17 percent around every two to five years, and 14 percent stated they had never replaced their television.

Those aged under 30 years of age were more likely to state they replaced their television around every two to five years (40 percent), while those aged 60 or more were more likely to state they replaced their television after 10 years (46 percent). Those who earned more than $70,000 per annum were more likely to state that they replaced their television around every five to 10 years (52 percent).

Table 11: Television replacement*

Note: Base = 99 percent of respondents, those who declared they owned at least one television (n = 742).

* Responses given in answer to the question: "In general, how often do you replace your television?"

Disposal

Of those who had replaced their television at some stage, 22 percent declared that they had given the television to a friend or family member, 20 percent that it had been dumped, 12 percent that it was stored but no longer in use, 11 percent that they continue to use it, 9 percent that it had been sold, and 7 percent that it had been used as a trade-in.

Auckland residents were more likely to have disposed of the old television at a council collection or transfer station (10.8 percent) and less likely to have traded the item in (2.8 percent). Christchurch residents were less likely to have given the television to a friend or family member (10.6 percent). Wellington residents were less likely to have sold the old television (1.8 percent).

Those aged under 30 years were more likely to say they gave the television to a friend or family member (33.0 percent) and that they sold it (19.5 percent); they were less likely to say that they had dumped the television (12.3 percent) and that they continue to use it (3.1 percent). Those aged 30−44 were more likely to say that they continue to use the old television (16.3 percent). Those aged 45 or more were less likely to say they sold the old television.

Table 12: Disposal of televisions*

Note: Base = 84 percent of respondents, those who declared they replaced their television (n = 631).

* Responses given in answer to the question: "What did you do with the old television?"

3.3 Laptop computers

Replacement

Thirty-seven percent of respondents stated they had never replaced their laptop computer. Fifteen percent claimed to have replaced their laptop computer in less than two years, 36 percent around every two to five years, 10 percent every five to ten years, and only 1 percent claimed to replace their laptop computer after ten years or more. There were no statistically significant differences across demographics.

Table 13: Laptop replacement*

Note: Base = 33 percent of respondents, those who declared they owned at least one laptop computer (n = 246).

* Reponses given in answer to the question: "In general, how often do you replace your laptop computer?"

Disposal

Of those who had replaced their laptop computer, 25 percent stated they continued to use it, 15 percent that they had given the laptop to a friend or family member, 15 percent that it had been sold, 13 percent that it was stored but no longer in use, and 7 percent that it had been used as a trade-in.

Table 14: Disposal of laptop computers*

Note: Base = 20 percent of respondents, those who declared they replaced their laptop computer (n = 151).

* Responses given in answer to the question: "What did you do with the old laptop computer?"

3.4 Computers

Replacement

As with laptop computers, the number of respondents who stated they had never replaced their computer was relatively high (29 percent). Eight percent claimed to replace their computer in less than two years, 38 percent around every two to five years, 20 percent every five to ten years, and 3 percent claimed to replace their computer after 10 years or more.

Those that earned more than $70,000 per annum were more likely to state that they replaced their computer around every two to five years (58 percent).

Table 15: Computer replacement*

Note: Base = 73 percent of respondents, those who declared they owned at least one computer (n = 549).

*Responses given in answer to the question: "In general, how often do you replace your computer?

Disposal

Of those who had replaced their computer, 22 percent claimed to have given the computer to a friend or family member, 19 percent that it was stored but no longer in use, 15 percent that they continue to use it, 10 percent that they had dumped it, 7 percent that it had been sold, and 7 percent that it had been used as a trade-in.

Auckland residents were more likely to have disposed of the old computer at a council collection or transfer station (10.5 percent). Wellington residents were less likely to have sold the old computer (1.7 percent). Those living in rural areas were less likely to claim to have dumped the old computer (3.8 percent). Female respondents were less likely to claim to have sold the old computer (3.8 percent).

Those aged under 30 years were less likely to claim that they had given the computer to a friend or family member (8.8 percent) or that they continue to use it (5.3 percent). Those aged 45−59 were less likely to have traded in the computer (3.2 percent). Those aged 60 or more were less likely to claim they had dumped the computer (3.8 percent) or that they had sold it (1.0 percent). Māori were less likely to claim they had stored the computer (8.7 percent) or that they had sold it (1.6 percent).

Table 16: Disposal of computers*

Note: Base = 51 percent of respondents, those who declared they replaced their computer (n = 379).

*Responses given in answer to the question: "What did you do with the old computer?"

3.5 Mobile phones

Replacement

Mobile phones had the fastest replacement turnover of all categories tested, with 30 percent claiming to replace their mobile phone in less than two years. Forty-one percent stated they replaced their mobile phone around every two to five years, 8 percent every five to ten years, and 1 percent claimed to replace their mobile phone after 10 years or more. Eighteen percent of respondents stated they had never replaced their mobile phone.

Those aged 60 or more were more likely to have never replaced their mobile phone (38 percent), while those earning over $70,000 per annum were less likely to have never replaced their mobile phone (6 percent).

Table 17: Mobile phone replacement*

Note: Base = 89 percent of respondents, those who declared they owned at least one mobile phone (n = 665).

* Responses given in answer to the question: "In general, how often do you replace your mobile phone?"

Disposal

Of those who had replaced their mobile phone, 29 percent declared that they stored it but it but it was no longer in use, 19 percent that they had given the phone to a friend or family member, 14 percent that they had dumped it, 11 percent that it had been used as a trade-in, and 7 percent that it was returned to a shop for disposal or that they continue to use it.

Christchurch residents were less likely to say they continue to use the old mobile phone (1.4 percent). No Wellington residents said they had sold the old mobile phone.

Those aged under 30 years were less likely to say they continued to use the old mobile phone (2.0 percent) and were more likely to say they had sold it (14.3 percent). Those aged 60 or more were more likely to provide an "unsure" response (11.0 percent), and none said they had sold the old mobile phone.

Those earning less than $15,000 per annum were less likely to say they had traded in the old mobile phone (4.4 percent) and that they had sold it (1.0 percent).Those earning between $15,000 and $25,000 were less likely to say they had given it to a friend or family member (3.5 percent). Those earning $25,000 to $30,000 were less likely to say they had returned the mobile phone to a shop for disposal (1.6 percent). Those earning between $50,000 and $70,000 were less likely to say they had given it to a friend or family member (11.2 percent). Those earning over $70,000 were less likely to say they continue to use the phone (1.7 percent).

Māori respondents were less likely to say they had returned the mobile phone to a shop for disposal (2.5 percent).

Table 18: Disposal of mobile phones*

Notes: Base = 71 percent of respondents, those who declared they replaced their mobile phone (n = 535).

* Responses given in answer to the question: "What did you do with the old mobile phone?"