The adjustments to the baseline figures were made to account for material believed to have been processed outside the compliance system.
Defra said that the move factors in corrected Environment Agency data due to market disruption during 2025.
Revised 2026 WEEE targets
Defra proposed a total household WEEE collection target of 550,902 tonnes for 2026, up from a revised 2025 total of 526,460 tonnes – an increase of 4.64%.
The department said it used a three-year growth trend (2022–2025) to generate a baseline, then applied category-specific adjustments where market conditions or product trends justified a deviation.
Gas discharge lamps are the only category where a fall is proposed, with a 2026 target of 3,270 tonnes, reflecting the continued phase-out of mercury-containing lamps and the shift to LED alternatives.
A new standalone vape category is also introduced with a 2026 target of 294 tonnes, replacing their previous inclusion within category 7 after August 2026.
Increase to small mixed WEEE targets
Using the three-year growth average alone would have resulted in a 2026 small mixed WEEE target of just over 157,000 tonnes. However, Defra has added an additional policy uplift, resulting in a final subtotal target of 159,248 tonnes.
The department said that this reflects a rising trend in recent collections, evidence that actually collections have exceeded targets, and corrected evidence of material previously lost from the system.
Defra also stated that campaigns led by Material Focus and others have “positively influenced householder disposal and recycling behaviours”.
Revisions to 2025 tonnage data
Alongside the 2026 proposals, Defra has revised several 2025 collection figures upward.
The most notable change is in the small mixed WEEE subtotal, which increased from 140,825 tonnes to 148,169 tonnes.
Justin Greenaway, Commercial Manager at SWEEEP Kuusakoski, commented: “Defra have done a good job for what was a complicated year because of S.Nortons not achieving AATF status during Q1 2025.
“It was critical to correctly reflect total small mixed WEEE (SMW) recycled in 2025 which was 7344T higher than the total SMW evidence generated.
“SMW recycled plus 3 years average growth and then 1.5% more is a vote of confidence to the excellent work continuing to be done by Material Focus.”
S Norton AATF status disruption
The revisions follow compliance disruption during 2025 affecting treatment capacity in the small mixed WEEE stream.
Metal recycler S Norton did not have its Approved Authorised Treatment Facility (AATF) and Approved Exporter (AE) status renewed by the Environment Agency for part of 2025.
The company is one of the largest small mixed WEEE and scrap metal processors in the country, accepting ferrous and non-ferrous metals and batteries.
It is estimated to have processed around 44,000 tonnes of small mixed WEEE in 2023.
The company confirmed it regained AATF status in Q2 2025.
Looking ahead: sector insights at the 2026 E‑Waste & Critical Minerals Conference
With Defra’s revised WEEE figures and rising 2026 targets signalling another year of significant change for producers, recyclers and compliance schemes, the sector will be looking closely at how policy, markets and treatment capacity evolve. These developments – including EPR for e‑waste, shifts in small mixed WEEE flows and growing pressures around critical materials will be key discussion points at the National E‑Waste & Critical Materials Conference on 11 March in London.
Bringing together policymakers, compliance experts, recyclers and innovators, the event offers a timely opportunity to explore the implications of the latest WEEE data and what it means for collections, business planning and resource recovery in the year ahead.
👉 Secure your ticket now to join the conversation and hear directly from the sector’s leading voices.
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