The italian “Lasciali Andare” (“Let Them Go”) campaign has been launched by the WEEE Coordination Centre (Centro di Coordinamento RAEE) to encourage the proper disposal of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) at stores selling electronic products and household appliances. The initiative aims to raise awareness of and improve access to collection services available at retail outlets, directly engaging citizens and consumers.
The campaign marks a first for the sector: the WEEE Coordination Centre, manufacturers and distributors of electrical and electronic equipment are joining forces in a shared communication project, with the aim of increasing collection volumes and helping meet European targets.
WEEE collection still far from European targets
The figures highlight the need to strengthen awareness-raising initiatives. In Italy, the WEEE collection rate stands at 32.5% of the amount of equipment placed on the market, compared with the 65% target set by European legislation.
In the first half of 2026, collection increased by 3% compared with the same period in 2025, but the gap between actual performance and the targets remains significant. The situation is particularly challenging for small household appliances and consumer electronics, for which the collection rate is around 15% of the amount placed on the market.
“Lasciali Andare” specifically addresses these consumer habits, reminding people that a store is not just a place to buy new equipment, but also a point of reference for recycling products they no longer use.
How to dispose of electronic waste correctly
The campaign’s message is simple: disposing of WEEE correctly can be easier than people think. When purchasing new electrical or electronic equipment, consumers can return an equivalent end-of-life product to the retailer free of charge.
For very small WEEE items, consumers can also drop them off free of charge without making a purchase at large electronics stores and major retail outlets, in accordance with the procedures established for this service.
According to the campaign’s promoters, these opportunities need to become more familiar to consumers. Expanding access to collection points can encourage the proper disposal of discarded equipment and reduce the risk of small devices ending up in mixed household waste or remaining unused in people’s homes.
WEEE recovery is also an important resource for the circular economy. These products contain materials that, through appropriate treatment processes, can be recovered and reintroduced into production cycles, reducing the need for virgin raw materials.
A multichannel campaign, from TV to retail outlets
Created and produced by the Dilemma agency, “Lasciali Andare” uses a light-hearted, ironic tone to bring electronic waste recycling into everyday life. The campaign runs across television, radio, digital channels, social media and retail outlets.
Television commercials are airing from 20 September to 3 October, while the radio campaign ran from 20 to 27 September on major national stations. The online campaign spans Meta, TikTok and YouTube.
Participating television advertising sales houses include CAIRO, Discovery, Publitalia, Rai and Sky. Radio partners include RDS, RTL 102.5, Radio Deejay, Radio Monte Carlo and Radio 24.
A central role is also played by the retailers participating through the call for applications launched by the WEEE Coordination Centre. At these stores, campaign visuals guide consumers through the disposal process, supported by dedicated collection bins for small electronic waste.
A shared commitment from manufacturers and retailers
“To collect more WEEE, we first need to make it easy for people to dispose of it correctly. With ‘Lasciali Andare’, we want to bring an important message to an ever-wider audience: stores are also places where people can return equipment they no longer need,” says Fabrizio Longoni, General Manager of the WEEE Coordination Centre.
According to Longoni, cooperation among the different players across the supply chain is essential to increasing public participation and closing the gap with European targets. Expanding collection opportunities means making it easier to return discarded equipment and recover more raw materials for reintroduction into manufacturing processes.
Marco Imparato, General Manager of APPLiA Italia, and Letizia Pizzi, General Manager of Anitec-Assinform, also emphasise the importance of engaging consumers, representing manufacturers of electrical and electronic equipment.
According to the two representatives, meeting European targets requires investment and initiatives capable of reaching an increasingly broad audience. The collaboration with retailers and the WEEE Coordination Centre is specifically intended to make proper disposal a habitual behaviour, bringing Italy closer to the targets set by the European Union.
The campaign also represents an important milestone for retailers. Davide Rossi, General Manager of AIRES-Confcommercio, highlights the direct involvement of retail chains and individual stores, which are expected to turn the campaign’s message into a tangible increase in the volume of WEEE collected.
The challenge now is to translate the campaign’s visibility into everyday behaviour, strengthening the role of electronics and household appliance stores as accessible collection channels for consumers.
The campaign and its related call for applications are part of the Programme Agreement governing service conditions at retail collection points for the 2026–2027 period. The agreement was signed by the WEEE Coordination Centre and several associations representing industry, retail and environmental services.
The household appliance and consumer electronics industries, together with the wider supply chain, will meet again at the next edition of Applitech, the only European trade fair of its kind, scheduled to take place from 10 to 12 November 2027 at the Bologna exhibition centre, featuring an extensive programme of conferences.