NATO Summit in Madrid |Last NewsWar Ukraine - Russia, last hour of the warlike conflictCables with USB C design seem to be the standard of USB4.The European Parliament has approved a provisional agreement that obliges technology companies to manufacture all their electronic products with the same USB-C charging port.In practice, this means that all phones, tablets and computers will use the same type of charger.The regulation will begin to apply at the end of 2024, when all smartphones, tablets, smart speakers, game consoles or wireless headphones sold in the European Union must be manufactured with a USB-C port.In the case of laptops, manufacturers will have a little more room to adapt: ​​until the end of 2028.The objective of this law is to reduce the amount of technological waste that we generate every time we change our mobile or buy new devices, each one with its own charger and often incompatible with each other.This causes us to end up accumulating cables and adapters.When the new law comes into force, users will be able to decide if they want to buy the mobile with or without a charger, since they will be able to reuse the chargers of other devices that they already have at home.However, the new regulations have also run into opposition within the technology sector.Apple, one of the most important electronic manufacturers in the world, has been against the European proposal because it involves modifying the design of the iPhone, one of its flagship products.There are more than 1.2 billion iPhones in operation today, and more than 240 million units were sold worldwide last year.Changing the USB port would have a great impact on the product, which is why Apple and other technology companies create lobbies to pressure institutions and get laws that favor them.Chargers that are not used or thrown away account for 11,000 tons of waste each year, according to data from the European Union.In this sense, the new European regulations promote the reuse of electronic components and savings in the 27 member countries of the European Union.Electrical or electronic waste, also known as e-waste, grows every year.Worldwide, more than 50 million tons of this waste is generated annually and only a fifth of it is recycled, according to data from the United Nations.Electrical waste includes large appliances, such as washing machines or stoves, but also small appliances, computer devices, mobile phones or even photovoltaic panels.They are difficult to treat and recycle because they have many components and specific treatments are needed to reuse the materials.In Europe, less than 40% of this waste is recycled, while the rest is left in landfills without sorting.The recycling rate varies greatly from one country to another: Croatia recycles more than 80% of these materials, while in Malta the rate is reduced to 20%.Percentage of electronic waste collected in the European Union.The annual value of electronic waste reaches 62.5 billion dollars, an amount much larger than the GDP of many countries.If countries had the resources and facilities to transform and recycle this waste, they could reap huge economic benefits.Most of the electrical waste (up to 80%) ends up abandoned in open fields or informally recycled: this process can be dangerous and exposes workers to harmful or cancerous substances, such as mercury, lead or cadmium.If not treated properly, these materials can also seep into the ground and contaminate the land and groundwater aquifers, putting drinking water sources and food crops at risk.In this sense, the United Nations works with governments around the world to promote the circular economy, investing in facilities and training.Thus, thousands of people who work informally recycling electronic devices can turn this activity into a stable source of income and contribute to the conservation of the environment.Finally, the generation of electronic waste is also a reflection of inequality in the world.Asia is the continent that produces the most waste of this type: 25 million tons in 2019, according to the Global E-Waste Monitor report.However, that is because it is also the most populous continent (more than half of the planet's inhabitants live in Asian countries).If we look at the production of waste per capita, the richest regions are also the most polluting: Europe (16.2 kg per person), Oceania (16.1 kg) and America (13 kg).Planned obsolescence is when a product's useful life is limited by default from the time it is manufactured.The manufacturers of electrical appliances and electronic devices program them so that they fail after a while and stop working.In this way, consumers have to continue buying.This practice is related to today's consumer model: advertising and companies constantly invite us to buy new products.Obsolescence extends to other industries such as fashion: 'fast fashion' means that we buy low-quality clothes to renew our wardrobes all the time.How can we avoid it?Find out about which brands are best valued by consumers, which are more respectful of the environment and which products have received the best marks in quality controls.And above all, consume with conscience!© La Vanguardia Ediciones, SLU All rights reserved.