Defra urged to support instore WEEE take-back

Operated by Valpak for 12 years, the DTS covers the collection of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) for participating retailers of electrical goods, and the current scheme comes to an end in just two weeks time on 31 December.

At present, it focuses on using funds from retailers to pay towards collection points for WEEE at civic amenity sites/HWRCs.

A new scheme, officially proposed today (16 December), features the idea that some trials would be carried out where WEEE, such as a used kettle, is taken back by a member of the public to a retailer for recycling.

Collection rates

Peter Andrews, head of sustainability at the British Retail Consortium, said: “A new Distributor Take-back Scheme is vital if the UK is to continue delivering one of the highest collection rates for waste electrical and electronic equipment WEEE in Europe.”

Prior to the election the fate of the proposal had been uncertain, but with the Conservatives securing a large majority in parliament, BRC and Valpak are calling on the secretary of state for the environment to give it their approval.

Proposal

Valpak and BRC submitted the revised DTS proposal to Defra for an interim period of two-years to the end of 2021. This, they explain, would operate while the government undertakes a review of the whole UK WEEE system and its regulatory framework.

Mr Andrews said: “A new DTS is needed to maintain the recycling momentum until the government reviews the regulations in two years.

“The DTS will provide key information to help decision makers when reviewing the WEEE regulations.”

A grace period for all retailers until 31 March 2020 is requested in the proposal, to re-register if the revised DTS is approved, or, if not, to implement take-back systems without any enforcement action being taken against retailers for non-compliance.

Interim

Fiona Thompson, international and environmental compliance consultant at Valpak, said: “As well as giving retailers time to plan, the interim period would also enable the DTS to gather valuable data on the most effective ways to implement consumer take-back schemes.

“For example, are supermarkets more popular with consumers to return WEEE items to than out of town retail parks?

“Building a bank of robust data will enable government and industry to be much better positioned to make an informed choice in the future.”

DTS

The scheme was established in 2007 to enable electronics retailers or distributors to meet their requirement to fund the collection of WEEE, as an alternative to offering in store take-back of goods.

Participating companies pay a fee to join the DTS, with proceeds used to fund and maintain local authority collection points and projects to boost the collection of WEEE.

Mr Andrews said: “Retailers have provided over £13 million in funding to Local Authorities through the Scheme to increase the collection and recycling of WEEE.

“A new DTS will further increase the UK’s WEEE collection point network, making it more convenient for more consumers, whilst raising greater public awareness of the importance of WEEE recycling.”

Controversy

The current system has faced some criticism from within the WEEE sector, with claims that it disadvantages those retailers who actually offer free instore collection.

And some, including Peter Hunt, managing director of recycling firm WasteCare, have concerns about the new proposal not going far enough, warning that infrastructure is losing out under the current and proposed system with an urgent need to develop more take-back routes, particularly to stores. Mr Hunt reasons that change is necessary to help the UK meet its WEEE recycling targets.

Speaking to letsrecycle.com earlier this month (see letsrecycle.com story), Mr Hunt said: “The proposal is more of the same. Some people are making very good money for doing nothing but moving a piece of paper. The infrastructure needed for WEEE is being ignored.”