Speaking publicly for the first time about the findings of the report, which resulted from a DTI funded fact-finding mission to Japan, delegate Joy Boyce of Fujitsu hinted that the UK might not meet its recycling demands as set under the WEEE directive without incurring problems.
Investment
She pointed out that Japan – which has legislative drivers in place governing the recycling of electronics – has undergone heavy government and private investment to develop the necessary recycling infrastructure. Ms Boyce said: “Japanese manufacturers and government have invested heavily in the recycling infrastructure but so far, the UK has been terrified of the costs involved.” The report points out that Japan already has 300 successful recycling plants in place.
Japanese firms are now expressing an interest in developing such an infrastructure in the UK, although no further details are available at this stage. The report confirmed: “Japanese companies are likely to start looking at developing recycling in Europe following the recent passing of the WEEE directive in October.” Speaker Martin Charter of the Centre for Sustainable Design added: “Japanese companies already have the knowledge with which to do this.”
Cost-free for consumers
The team criticised the WEEE directive for allowing the consumer to escape financial responsibilities attached to recycling their own waste. They said that in Japan, a television would cost the consumer 25 to take to a recycling collection point or recycling site. This did not result in problems of fly-tipping either, they said, thanks to the “law-abiding nature” of the Japanese.
Ms Boyce said: “The WEEE directive puts no onus on the person discarding the waste. How are recyclers and manufacturers supposed to do what they are supposed to if there is no pressure for the consumer to recycle their electrical waste in first place?”
The report explains Japan’s recycling coupon scheme, run by the Association for Electric Home Appliance, which “serves as both an administrative system and as a collection system for the recycling fees charged by the manufacturers to consumers.”
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