WEEE data shows decline in tonnage collected

WEEE collection data published by the Environment Agency last month shows that the collection rate for waste electricals is on the rise, despite a fall in the overall tonnage in the amount of WEEE that was collected.

The provisional data, which is available via the Environment Agency website, shows that a total of 112,415 tonnes of household and non-household WEEE were collected for recycling between January and March 2013.

This equates to a collection rate of around 30.22% when compared to the amount of new electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) placed onto the market over the preceding three years.

But, overall the data shows that there appears to have been a decline in the amount of WEEE collected for recycling when compared to the same period during 2012, with 125,875 tonnes collected in 2012 Q1 compared to 112,415 in 2013 Q1.

And, compliance schemes are split over whether the data supports the suggestion that the WEEE recycling regime will need to be changed in order to attract the tonnage needed to meet increasing recycling targets, which come into effect from 2016.

The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) is expected to publish its response to its consultation on proposed changes to the system next month, with new legislation then due to come into effect by January 2014.

Changes are being brought about to incorporate the terms of the Recast of the WEEE Directive, which was passed in Europe in 2012 and includes a rising target to recycle 45% of EEE placed onto the market by 2016. The government has also proposed measures to address claims by producers of electronic equipment that the current arrangement does not represent the actual cost of recycling.

According to Barry Van Danzig, chief executive of compliance scheme Electrolink, the decline in the tonnage collected is due to a reduction in the number of cathode ray tube (CRT) screens collected for recycling, as the technology is gradually phased out.

Consultation

Mr Van Danzig, who has publicly stated his preference for the system to remain in its current state, commented that should the system remain unchanged, the tonnage of WEEE needed to meet the future targets can still be gained.

He said: The current system will deliver the tonnage, it is simply a case of incentivising collections. The proposed changes would in fact dis-incentivise collections as it would be easier to pay a fine than invest in the more difficult WEEE collection systems.

“The current system, properly enforced, will deliver the required amount of WEEE to meet the EU targets. If however enforcement is relaxed then collections rates are bound to fall.”

Changes

Meanwhile, Dr Philip Morton, chief executive of compliance scheme REPIC, argued that the governments proposed changes to the system would help to increase the WEEE recycling rate, by bringing material that is currently not recorded as recycled back into the fold.

He said: It would be too simple to look at the 2013 Q1 figure in isolation and draw conclusions from it without looking behind the data to see whats happening in terms of new technology and trends.

Using large household appliances as an example, Dr Morton explained that while sales of new EEE were higher than when compared to Q1 2012, WEEE collection was recorded at 2,000 tonnes lower compared to the same period 12 months earlier.

This decline is probably because there continues to be a high net positive scrap value within this category of WEEE and it has been treated through alternative routes and simply not been counted, he added.

Providing that it is all being treated correctly and to proper standards, it should be counted as treated WEEE in the system. In this way economic operators will continue to be financially encouraged to collect more, helping WEEE captured to increase and minimising leakage.

This suggestion, which we fully support where local authorities and other collectors keep the net value from WEEE, has been outlined by BIS in options 3 and 4 of the proposed options for the future of the WEEE system.

Meanwhile, Dr Morton also pointed to light-weighting of technology, indicated by a fall in the overall tonnage of televisions sold during the Q1 periods in 2012 and 2013 as a likely reason why tonnages of WEEE are declining.