Australians live through screens, appliances and connected devices. But when these products are discarded, the plastics inside them become a largely invisible waste stream. Official Australian data shows that electronic-product plastics are increasing, while recovery remains very low.
Electrical and electronic plastics reaching end-of-life increased from approximately 151.2 kilotonnes in 2016–17 to 185.0 kilotonnes in 2023–24. Recovery remained far below the amount discarded. Source: Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, Australian Plastics Flows and Fates Database 2023–24, Table 1.
Recovery peaked at approximately 8.6% in 2019–20 before falling to approximately 5.0% in 2023–24. Source: Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, Australian Plastics Flows and Fates Database 2023–24, Table 1. Recovery rate calculated as recovered tonnes divided by end-of-life tonnes.
In 2023–24, electrical and electronic products generated approximately 185.0 kilotonnes of end-of-life plastics, with only about 5.0% recovered. Source: Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, Australian Plastics Flows and Fates Database 2023–24, Table 1. Tyres excluded.
The chart shows electronic-product polymer categories with at least one kilotonne reaching end-of-life in 2023–24. Several substantial streams recorded negligible or zero recovery. Source: Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, Australian Plastics Flows and Fates Database 2023–24, Table 1.
Every Australian state and territory recorded a recovery rate below 10% for plastics in electrical and electronic applications in 2023–24. Source: Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, Australian Plastics Flows and Fates Database 2023–24, Table 1. State-level end-of-life estimates should be interpreted as modelled quantities within the APFF framework.
The takeaway: Australia’s device-plastic problem is not only about how many electronics we use. It is also about what happens when the plastics inside them reach the end of their useful lives. As these materials continue to accumulate, recovery remains the exception rather than the norm.
Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water. (2025). Australian Plastics Flows and Fates Database 2023–24 [Data set]. Australian Government. https://www.dcceew.gov.au/environment/protection/waste/plastics-and-packaging/australian-plastic-flows-fates-reporting
Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water. (2026, February 6). E-stewardship in Australia. Australian Government. https://www.dcceew.gov.au/environment/protection/waste/e-waste
OpenAI. (2026). ChatGPT [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com/
The Conversation. (n.d.). How we look: Colour [Brand guidelines]. Provided through RMIT course materials.
Generative AI acknowledgement: ChatGPT was used to support the planning and development of this assignment. It assisted with identifying possible visualisation structures and drafting R code structure. All final decisions about the story angle, visualisation design, analysis, written content and final submission were reviewed and completed by the author.
The visual design of this open data story was informed by The Conversation colour branding guide provided in the course materials. The final visualisations use a restrained black, white and red colour approach to align with the publication style and improve accessibility.