When contacted by the Thomson Reuters Foundation about its plans for recycling the pin, Humane provided a link to the recycling advice on its website but declined to comment further. HP did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Another, more popular, wearable is Meta's Ray-Bans — glasses enhanced with microphones, speakers and an AI assistant.
The tech giant has sold over 2-million units since 2023, according to EssilorLuxottica, which manufactures the glasses.
When contacted for a comment on its plans for recycling the glasses, Meta referred to a blog post telling users to use local authorities or waste disposal services.
But iFixit published a video in December 2023 showing that replacing the battery is difficult and removing components can only be done by destroying the plastic.
“If you open these glasses up, don't expect them to go back together,” the video said. “Cool glasses, but ultimately nothing more than vanity fuelled e-waste.”
When asked how it would ensure future products can be effectively recycled, Meta declined to comment.
**Long-life laws**
Legislation should be introduced to insist on easily-replaceable batteries in smartphones, laptops and AI-driven wearables, said Elizabeth Chamberlain, iFixit's director of sustainability.
The EU's 2023 battery directive is meant to ensure that batteries have a low carbon footprint, use minimal harmful substances, use less raw materials, and are collected, reused and recycled to a high degree.
However, recycling capacity in the EU and Britain is only about a tenth of what is required to meet recycling targets by 2030, according to a 2024 report from T&E, a clean transport and energy advocacy group. The US does not have an equivalent national law.
Chamberlain said laws should require companies to disclose end-of-life plans at the point of sale.
“In an ideal world, all products would become automatically open-sourced and part designs would become available when manufacturer support ends,” she said.