Nine WEEE schemes missing from initial 2010 approval list

But, the scheme's most frequently linked with large scale evidence trading, REPIC and Electrolink, have both been re-approved. This suggests that the pair have signed the contracts to work with other schemes that the agencies now expect from anyone who has access to more or less WEEE than they require to meet their members' obligations.

The exact status of Biffa's scheme, which has in the region of 200 producer members, is not yet clear, as, despite Transform not appearing on the list published today, the company revealed it has not yet been told by the Environment Agency whether or not it has been re-approved.

Biffa's director of environment and external affairs, David Savory, told letsrecycle.com: “We're still waiting to hear, we had a late request for information and we've been in discussions.”

The news that Econo-Weee, which has over 400 producer members signed up for the current compliance period, has not been approved, is expected to set off a flurry of activity among re-approved schemes looking to sign up their members for 2010.

It is the second piece of bad news in the last two days for the Econo-Compliance operation, after the scheme's application to run a batteries compliance scheme, Econo-Batt, failed to win approval from the Environment Agency yesterday (see letsrecycle.com story)

Econo-Weee were unavailable for comment.

It is thought to be unlikely that any appeals from the non-approved schemes will be heard until after the end of October, which is the cut-off date for members to be signed up to them for the 2010 compliance period.

[UPDATE – OCTOBER 2 – the Environment Agency has now confirmed that City Compliance, Econo-Weee and Transform “were unsuccessful as they did not meet the approval requirements”, but added that all three have the right of appeal.]

The nine schemes which were approved for 2009 but do not appear on the list for 2010 are:

• City Compliance
• Compliance 4 U
• Draeager
• Econo-Weee
• Electric
• Recycle 1st
• Shields Environmental
• Transform
• My Key Recycling

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), which approves a small number of the WEEE schemes, has revealed that My Key Recycling did not submit an application for re-approval, but the Environment Agency has not given reasons for not including the other schemes on the approved list.

However, with the exception of Transform, Econo-Weee and Compliance 4 U – which had 34 producer members for the 2009 compliance period – the remaining schemes have no more than five members. Recycle 1st, a scheme which was run by MRF operator Greenstar, did not accept members for 2009. Greenstar explained to letsrecycle.com that at the end of 2008 it transferred its members to Advantage Waste Brokers following a decision to move away from offering WEEE compliance to developing collection infrastructure. Separately, the Electric scheme also did not accept members for this year.

Electrolink

Commenting on the success of its re-approval application, Lynne Cullis, Electrolink's chief operating officer said: “We are delighted that SEPA, has approved our operational business plan, which enables us to continue operating a producer compliance scheme.”

“We believe that our approval demonstrates the robustness and viability of our business model and we look forward to working with all local authorities, operators, schemes and producers to ensure the continuing success of the WEEE Regulations,” she added.

REPIC

REPIC also welcomed news of its re-approval, with its chief executive, Dr Philip Morton, claiming the approval process had made easier by the guidance sent out by the Agencies (see letsrecycle.com story) to schemes in the wake of the judicial review brought by his scheme earlier this year.

“REPIC, the largest UK WEEE producer compliance scheme, has been re-approved by the Environment Agency today. Following yesterday's approval of its battery scheme, REPIC now offers the full spectrum of WEEE, packaging and battery compliance solution,” he said.

“We believe that the recent consistent proactive guidance issued to all the WEEE compliance schemes along with a more robust approach by the enforcement authorities was a major factor in the smooth running of this approval process,” he added.

All schemes approved when the WEEE system was launched in 2007 received approval for three compliance periods, however, under the government's planned changes to the WEEE regulations, as of next year schemes will have to be approval on an annual basis, as the agencies look to increase their scrutiny of how they go about meeting their member's obligations.