Each year, more than a billion electrical and electronic equipment are put on the market, i.e. more than 2 million tons of washing machines, televisions and other computers. When they break down, these devices are
collected and then recycled. But before putting them in the trash, too few people think of having them repaired.

Between 50 and 113 million laptops would thus be unused in France. Two-thirds of these mobiles that sleep in a drawer are still in working order. When we know that to produce a mobile phone, it takes 75 kg of consumed resources, we understand the ecological interest of repairing it before buying a new one.

To encourage residents of the Toulouse conurbation to opt for this solution, Toulouse Métropole has set up a first “repair” aimed at individuals. Awarded to households earning less than 35,052 euros per year, this financial aid makes it possible to cover up to 30% of the amount of the repair with a maximum of 100 euros.

🔧 What if you repair instead of throwing away? #Toulouse Métropole has created a #aid financial support for individuals for the repair of objects with craftsmen from the network of #FixActors
Like many inhabitants of the Metropolis, take advantage of it too ➡️ https://t.co/BFS2Pqi5V8 pic.twitter.com/Vpap1fFblr

— Toulouse Metropolis (@TlseMetropole) January 6, 2022

“It allows you to avoid consuming for the sake of consuming, it’s a way of helping people to reuse the object and thus avoid producing new waste, reducing it by consuming differently”, explains Gnadang Ousmane, president of the “circular economy and waste” commission at Toulouse Métropole.

41 euros on average

This bonus adopted two years ago, but only really deployed since last autumn, was awarded to 178 inhabitants between October 26 and December 31, for an average amount of 41 euros, reimbursed after presentation of the invoice in a two-month period. “In total, 7,350 euros in bonuses were granted during this period. About 75% of the beneficiaries said that they had been encouraged to repair thanks to the bonus, this allowed them to pass a course, ”continues the elected official.

Half of this aid was used to repair Hi-Fi equipment, from old record players to ultra-modern speakers. In 39% of cases, it won by giving a second life to household appliances and in 11% of cases by repairing mobile phones. Premiums which have generated approximately 250,000 of investments within the Répar’acteurs Occitanie network.

“Facilitate access” to this bonus

“The 800 craftsmen who are members of the network are committed to encouraging repairs and thus promoting the reduction of waste. They are in favor of this type of initiative which encourages repair rather than its renewal”, assures Lucien Amoros, the president of the Chamber of trades and crafts of Haute-Garonne, whose approach is accompanied by the ‘Ademe.

Anything that can push to replace rather than throw away, Alexandre Isaac, the founder of the Repair Academy, is in favor of it. Member of the Répar’acteurs network, after giving a second life to smartphones that some thought were good for the trash, this Toulousain decided to teach others all the techniques that make it possible to avoid throwing away.

“Today, a large part of the population thinks twice before changing their phone and we can see that the sale of refurbished phones is increasing every year. Now, we must put this first further, so that everyone can know it, facilitate its access. Me, it’s a client who told me about it”, notes the young entrepreneur.