As consumers increasingly favor inexpensive electronic gadgets, a pressing concern is emerging around the environmental impact of this trend, dubbed "fast tech." Similar to fast fashion, which prioritizes cheap, disposable clothing, fast tech encompasses low-cost gadgets often used briefly before being discarded. This surge in demand not only contributes to waste but also raises questions about resource depletion and pollution, making it a key issue in today’s sustainability discourse.

Fast tech refers to the mass production and consumption of inexpensive electronic items, ranging from battery-powered fans to novelty gadgets that often end up in landfills or languishing in drawers. Material Focus, a non-profit organization, has indicated that consumer spending in this sector reached an astonishing £11.6 billion, with items like mini karaoke machines and LED balloons showing unsustainable growth. Each of these gadgets, while cheap, harbors valuable materials such as copper, often without a feasible recycling pathway once they become obsolete. The environmental consequences stem not only from the waste created but also from the mining processes required to extract these valuable resources—all the while, society is striving for a transition to low-carbon technologies.

Consider, for example, the explosive demand for battery-operated mini-fans during recent heatwaves, which alone accounted for over seven million purchases in one year. This trend mirrors fast fashion's impact on clothing waste, where convenience often overshadows sustainable choices. Expert voices like Joe Iles of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation remind us that although the pattern of rapid tech consumption appears inevitable, it's a relatively new phenomenon born out of the last 50 years. Initiatives encouraging a circular economy—where products are reused, repaired, or recycled—are gaining traction, reminding consumers of their role in curbing waste. As Laura Burley from Greenpeace notes, the hybrid nature of many fast tech products poses additional recycling challenges, further underscoring the need for responsible manufacturing and mindful purchasing.