Skip to content 
Elektroschrott
Retired laptops, monitors, printers and servers sooner or later end up in recovery as e-waste, or get a second life beforehand. This entry explains what counts legally as e-waste, which rules apply to companies and why reuse takes priority.
In brief
E-waste is electrical and electronic equipment that has become waste because its owner discards or intends to discard it. In law, such equipment is called old devices (Altgeräte). It contains valuable materials such as copper and precious metals, but also pollutants, and therefore must not go into residual waste. For IT retirement the rule is: first check whether a device can be reused, then recover it properly, with certification.
What is e-waste?
Legally, a device becomes e-waste as soon as it is waste within the meaning of the Circular Economy Act. The Electrical and Electronic Equipment Act (ElektroG) calls such devices "old devices". A working laptop that is resold after erasure and refurbishment, by contrast, is a used device and not waste.
E-waste includes almost all devices powered by electricity or battery: from smartphones and keyboards to PCs and monitors, servers, printers and network equipment. Rechargeable batteries and lamps are also collected separately.
A great deal of e-waste is generated worldwide. The United Nations' Global E-waste Monitor 2024 puts the quantity for 2022 at 62 million tonnes, of which only 22.3% was verifiably collected and recycled properly. Further figures and background are provided by our article 10 Surprising Facts About E-Waste.
Legal framework for e-waste (as of: 10/2026)
| Set of rules | What it is about |
|---|---|
| WEEE Directive 2012/19/EU | EU requirements on collection, treatment and producer responsibility |
| ElektroG | German implementation: registration of manufacturers, take-back, collection groups, treatment |
| German Circular Economy Act (KrWG) | Concept of waste, waste hierarchy, obligations of waste producers and disposers |
| RoHS Directive | Restriction of hazardous substances in new devices |
| Battery law | Separate collection and removal of batteries and rechargeable batteries |
Devices bearing the crossed-out wheeled bin symbol must not be disposed of with household waste. Private households hand in old devices at municipal collection points or at retailers. For commercially used devices, other take-back routes partly apply, which are often regulated by contract with the manufacturer or a disposer. This entry does not replace legal advice.
Why e-waste is more than waste
E-waste is a source of raw materials. Circuit boards contain copper, gold, silver and palladium, housings aluminum and plastics. At the same time they contain pollutants, for example in batteries, cathode ray tubes of older monitors or lamps. The law therefore prescribes proper initial treatment, in which pollutants are removed and valuable materials separated. How gold and other precious metals are recovered is explained in the entry Precious metal recovery.
It is even better not to let e-waste arise in the first place. The Waste hierarchy places prevention and reuse before recycling. Practical approaches for companies are shown in the guide avoiding e-waste.
Rule of thumb: A device only becomes e-waste when nobody can or wants to use it any more. Erasing and refurbishing often postpones this point by years.
E-waste at Second IT
Second IT first checks retired devices for reuse: erase, repair, refurbish, resell. What can no longer be used, Second IT disposes of as a certified waste management company under § 56 KrWG, with dismantling, proper pollutant treatment and recovery of materials such as precious metals. Customers receive recycling and disposal certificates for their CSR and ESG reporting. More on professional IT disposal.
Frequently asked questions about electrical waste
Is an old but working laptop e-waste?
Not automatically. A device is only waste when the owner discards or intends to discard it. If it is erased, tested and resold, it remains a product. Only when it can no longer be used does it become e-waste.
What is the difference between "Elektroschrott" and e-waste?
There is none. E-waste is the English term; in German law one speaks of Altgeräte or Elektro- und Elektronik-Altgeräte.
Do I have to erase data before e-waste is disposed of?
Yes. Waste law regulates the materials, not the data. The GDPR continues to apply to personal data. Data carriers should be verifiably erased or physically destroyed before disposal.
May e-waste go into household waste?
No. E-waste does not belong in residual waste, recognizable by the crossed-out wheeled bin symbol. Private households hand in old devices at municipal collection points or at retailers. For commercially used devices, other take-back routes partly apply, which are often regulated by contract.
How much e-waste is generated worldwide?
The United Nations' Global E-waste Monitor 2024 gives a quantity of 62 million tonnes for 2022. Of this, only 22.3% was verifiably collected and recycled properly. The rest often disappears from orderly recovery.
Reuse first, then dispose of properly, with certification.
Send us your device list. You will receive your offer in 48 hours on average.