According to Material Focus, around 471 million ‘fast tech’ items were binned in the past year, with an average cost of around £4 per item.

But while many of the items are perceived to be disposable, even low-cost electricals contain precious materials such as gold, aluminium and lithium, which should be recycled instead of sent to landfill, the campaign group said.

Annual spend on fast tech reportedly passed the £2.8bn mark for the first time in 2023 and there are over 100,000 tonnes of waste electricals thrown away yearly. 

Material Focus said the study has been released in a bid to raise awareness of the issue and encourage people to donate or recycle anything with a plug, battery or cable. 

The research also shows that the UK’s consumption of fast tech is expected to outstrip fast fashion in terms of the amount sent to landfill. Every year, the average UK adult buys nine fast tech items and throws away eight. The items are purchased for a wide range...