目的・空欄・態度

When a smartphone screen cracks or the battery drains quickly, many people buy a new product instead of repairing it. That is because repairs cost little less than a new device, or it is hard even to find somewhere to take it. Some manufacturers supply parts only to official service centres and void the warranty if consumers open the device themselves. Some products are even made so that certain functions stop working when genuine parts are fitted without the manufacturer's authorisation. Electronic products discarded this way amount to tens of millions of tonnes a year worldwide, and the precious metals and hazardous substances inside are often buried without proper treatment. This is why moves to guarantee a 'right to repair' by law have emerged in Europe and elsewhere. If manufacturers are required to supply parts for a set period and publish repair manuals, consumers can ( ). We, too, must create the institutional conditions for products to be repaired before it is too late. That protects both consumers' wallets and the Earth's resources.