WEEE producer compliance scheme REPIC has moved closer to ERP as the holder of the most local authority collection contracts after a number of contract wins in 2012.
Annual data showing which compliance schemes are permitted to collect WEEE from council designated collection facility (DCF) sites was published last week by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) and shows that REPIC is now aligned to 51 local authorities, compared to 54 currently held by ERP.
In comparison to 2011, REPIC has increased its share significantly, having been aligned with 38 local authorities, while ERPs share has dropped having held 62 local authority DCF clearance contracts.
The data also shows that Valpak has the third highest share with 38 DCF clearance contracts, followed by DHL (23) and Veolia (16).
Contracts
REPIC has gained a number of new local authority collection contracts over the last 12 months, which include Buckinghamshire, formerly with ERP, North Yorkshire, formerly with Weeecare as well as Southend on Sea from Valpak.
Philip Morton, chief executive of REPIC, said: BISs latest list of PCS alignment to Local Authorities (LAs) shows LAs and Waste Companies managing their DCFs are increasingly choosing direct relationships with PCSs that need WEEE not those selling evidence. The same trend is true for other WEEE collectors such as retailers.
Better information means WEEE collectors can make informed decisions and whilst PCS choice may not appear to directly affect them, they are increasingly mindful of the downstream consequences of their choice, which PCS really finances the collection and treatment and if there is a short, clear audit trail for WEEE from their sites.
If more parties are involved and evidence is transferred between PCSs there is no clear audit trail for WEEE which can increase the risk and cost in the system. LAs and WEEE collectors are free to partner with any PCS they wish, but the opposite is not true and a PCS can only collect WEEE if it needs it for its own members or it has arrangements in advance to collect on behalf of other PCSs.
Repic is now aligned to LA DCFs covering more of the population than any other PCS and we need to be, as the largest PCS by far we still need more for our member obligations. Because WEEE collected is always 100% any PCS collecting more than its share forces others to collect less and to buy evidence of unknown origin. The amount of WEEE is unaffected.
Dr Morton added: Repic indirectly finances the WEEE activities of many more sites on the list but our preference is to partner directly with the WEEE collector. I would like to thank all of our existing collection partners, those who have recently joined us and those who will join in the future for the fantastic job they do. By aligning with PCSs that need WEEE the LAs and other collectors can continue to drive the system towards balanced access as the Regulations intend.
Electrolink
Producer compliance scheme Electrolinks share has decreased with the scheme now holding 12 DCF collection contracts compared to the 16 it held in 2011.
Related Links
Barry Van Danzig, chief executive of Electrolink, said: Despite having less local authority sites our tonnage is up as we are now collecting directly from households and retailers, but we are still very keen to work with local authorities. Contracts allow us to work with as many as wish to work with us but everyone must obey the rules, local authorities included, so that we are all protected in the long term.
Subscribe for free