WEEE producers propose national clearing-houses

The ERP was created last year (see letsrecycle.com story) by the manufacturers Hewlett Packard, Electrolux, Sony and Gillette, who own Braun, who together cover 14% of the European electrical equipment market. The producers put forward their recommendations for the implementation of the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive across Europe, this week.

Hans Korfmacher of Braun, chairman of the ERP, said: “We wish to ensure that take-back services and waste collection become as efficient as possible in the interests of consumers, the environment and industry. Our principles therefore encourage competitive solutions to the recycling of WEEE and the best use of innovative technologies and existing infrastructures.”

The ERP's 'Principles for the Implementation of the EU Waste Directive' document calls for industry-run “National Clearing-houses” to monitor sales and supervise collected waste through national registers.

“Where possible, the reporting and calculation of market share should be supervised collectively by industry (National Clearing-house) with a maximum control about the organisational set up by EEE companies,” it says.

Guarantees

The ERP also suggests that the national registers held by the clearing-houses should also record the producers' method of financial guarantee for the processing of WEEE put on the market after August 2005. Suggested forms of these guarantees have included money held in blocked bank accounts, recycling insurance and participation in compliance schemes. The ERP called for flexibility in this matter, saying: “Producers should be allowed to select the most suitable instrument for the financial guarantee, as long as it fulfils the objectives.”

For electrical equipment produced after 2005, the ERP proposes individual responsibility via an EU producer identification system. It says: “For future waste a producer must only be legally responsible for the costs associated with the take-back and recycling of their own products. The identification of the producer on the product is necessary and must be dealt with in a coordinated manner throughout the EU.”

The clearing-houses would also be responsible for the complex logistics operation required by an 'own marque' approach to future WEEE. Also on transport, the ERP said that there should be no limits set on the shipping of waste. “National legislation should allow producers to establish either collective or individual recycling systems. In practice this means companies should be allowed to purchase any number of services to comply with their obligations, provided the obligation is fulfilled in full with respect to historic and future waste.”