A second life for hearing aids

The hearing aid market is little-known: every year, almost one and a half million new hearing aids are sold in France, with an average lifespan of 5 years. This means that the recycling potential is enormous. And some people have identified it: Since 2008, AuditionSolidarité has been involved in the meticulous task of collecting and recycling hearing aids.

The association has set up a network of 200 hearing aid specialists who invite their patients to donate their used hearing aids rather than throw them away. And the association's low profile does the rest, with several parcels received every day at the Landes-based workshop. It's then a circular economy loop: the hearing aids are restored to working order and readdressed to patients in need, excluded from conventional care, who had no access to hearing aids until now.

The benefits are both social and ecological, since hearing aids are made up of polluting metals that no longer end up in the garbage can.

Abroad, the association implements projects in partnership with local structures, fitting hearing aids to deaf and hard-of-hearing children living in precarious conditions, and training local relays for support and follow-up.

The support of the Veolia Foundation enables AuditionSolidarité to strengthen its recycling activity. During the year of the health crisis, with more people dying and professionals having more time, the stock has grown: just over 22,000 devices remain to be processed in the workshop.