Since the appliance surged in popularity in 2015, 1.5 million of the kitchen gadgets have been thrown away instead of being recycled.
Scott Butler, Executive Director at Material Focus – the team behind the Recycle Your Electricals campaign – said: “If you’ve got an air fryer that is still working, and you no longer need it, or it’s broken, try to sell it, donate it, or take it to be repaired.
“But definitely recycle it, because the materials inside can do good elsewhere.
“While these gadgets might have revolutionised our kitchens, they can also go on to make a huge difference once recycled.
“They’re full of steel, aluminium, plastics, sometimes ceramics and copper—they could be used in anything from lifesaving equipment to school playgrounds, and the materials inside could be made into new electricals.”
The research shows that over 2.25 million air fryers in total are either unused or have ended up in landfill or incineration.
Material Focus estimated that there are 20 million air fryers across the UK, meaning that over 10% are not currently being used.
Two-thirds of adults (66%) have an air fryer at home, and 8% own more than one.
Consumers cited the main reasons for purchasing an air fryer as being ease of use (46%), being quicker than an oven (44%), and their cost-effectiveness (44%).
Recycle Your Electricals is a campaign run by the not-for-profit organisation Material Focus, which encourages people to recycle their Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE).
The campaign is funded by the producers of electrical appliances.
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