Dont waste the EEE consultation

Ever since the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Regulations came into force in 2007, it was clear to those of us involved that they were not fit for purpose and would need a major overhaul.

Britain is now the most expensive country in Europe when it comes to WEEE compliance and the current system is costing WEEE producers over 60 million a year to comply. This is the result of the high cost of evidence, the volume of WEEE that never enters the system and the Environment Agency and membership fees. These costs are naturally passed on to consumers and, as a result, artificially inflate the cost of new electrical goods.

Cutting the cost of compliance will not have a negative impact on recyclers and will not, as some have suggested, increase costs for local authorities. The amount of money realised by recyclers directly from the scheme has always been a fraction of the cost of compliance and this will continue to be the case. Savings will come from reducing membership fees and administration costs. If we do this then we will see more products entering the system, which will of course benefit recyclers as this is where they derive value.

Trading

If we create a system where schemes cannot hold each other to ransom and eliminate the zero balancing evidence trade then immediately the benefits of a true market are restored.
Now the long awaited consultation is underway, it is vital that all the key stakeholders take the opportunity to have some input and that we seize the opportunity to reduce the financial and bureaucratic burden of the current system.

To do this, we must provide producers, retailers and local authorities with the information they need to respond to the consultation and shape future regulation in their favour.
The Government has proposed three new options to reform the existing WEEE system in response to the Red Tape Challenge, as well as considering whether the current system should be maintained.

The four options proposed are:

Option 1 – do nothing
Option 2 – establish a single National Compliance Scheme
Option 3 – set a Collection Target and Compliance Fee
Option 4 – establish a matching process of collection sites to PCSs.

Wastecare has organised conferences to help provide key stakeholders with an in-depth understanding of the governments proposals and their likely impact.