Growing up in Sevenoaks, I have seen firsthand the piles of digital devices that turn into waste faster than we can manage. It’s disheartening to see perfectly usable gadgets end up in landfill simply because repairing them is complicated, expensive, or outright impossible. For too long, consumers have been forced into a cycle of buying new devices due to unrepairable electronics, and this has resulted in a mounting e-waste crisis that impacts not only our natural environment but also our community's health and sustainability.

Sevenoaks, like many regions, is grappling with this e-waste dilemma. According to the UN's Global E-waste Monitor, the world generated a record 53.6 million metric tonnes of e-waste in 2019, and less than 20% was recycled properly. In the UK alone, it’s estimated that we discard over 1.4 million tonnes of electronic waste every year. The need for legislative action on repairability is urgent. By enforcing laws that require products to be designed for repair and making spare parts readily available, we can significantly reduce the volume of electronic waste. A good place to start in terms of legislation would be to mimic the strict repairability laws of the EU.

Engage with local government representatives, such as Laura Trott in Sevenoaks, and urge them to support legislation that mandates higher standards of product repairability. With your signature, we can convey a strong message to policymakers that the population of the UK cares deeply about reducing e-waste and are ready to endorse a change for a cleaner, greener future.

Please sign this petition to help protect our environment, our community, and future generations from the growing threat of e-waste. Change begins with our voice—join us in this mission to call for stronger repairability legislation in the UK.