WEEE recycling advert to be screened at Christmas

The advertisement is being organised by an alliance of WEEE producer compliance schemes and recyclers.The alliance has raised the money from its member companies involved in the management of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE).

Financial support for the advertising campaign has risen since the launch of a WEEE Connect website last week – http://www.weeeconnect.co.uk/ which was set up by the alliance to encourage contributions from all sectors of the WEEE recycling industry that stand to benefit from the advert being screened.

The 28,300 will buy advertising slots which will be seen by eight million people. But, the alliance wants to increase this sum to at least 32,000 which it estimates will enable it to spread the WEEE message to nine million people. In particular, it is keen to secure contributions from Approved Authorised Treatment Facilities (AATFs).

The alliance will buy advertising space on Channel 4, Channel 5 and some Sky channels two weeks before and two weeks after Christmas.

WRAP – the Waste and Resources Action Programme – will be helping councils promote their WEEE recycling services to coincide with the screening.

Members

The consortium of companies behind the WEEE recycling advert was formed a year ago to address what was perceived a lack of awareness of WEEE recycling in the absence of any government promotional campaign. The nine original members were reprocessors Overton Recycling, SWEEEP Kuusakoski , W&S Recycling and Centillion alongside compliance schemes DHL Envirosolutions, Electrolink, ERP UK, REPIC and Valpak.

These companies each paid 4,000 each to pay for the development of the advert which was unveiled in March 2011 (see letsrecycle.com story).

Alongside the nine members, companies which have since contributed to the cost of broadcasting the advert are: Aylesford Metal Company; dataserv compliance; eco technology Ltd, Econo-Weee, H Ripley & Co, the Industry Council for Electronics Recycling (ICER); Newton Transport Ltd; Veolia ES; WEEEaway; UK Container Maintenance; EMR: Sunersol; and Sun Recycling.

Justin Greenaway, contracts manager for Kent reprocessor SWEEEP Kuusakoski and the man responsible for co-ordinating the initiative, said: The website is one week old tomorrow so suffice to say I am very pleased with the response from these companies. I am very confident we are going to smash through our32,000 predicted budget which will allow us to communicate to overnine million people at Christmas how amazing! Goes to show the appetite is there in the recycling industry to raise profile of WEEE. The advertising of WEEE on national TV is something the UK should be proud of. No one else in Europe has done this and all funded from industry as well.

ICER

The Industry Council for Electronic Recycling said it was proud to support this initiative of its members particularly in light of the current recast of the WEEE Directive, which is likely to see higher targets set for the collection of waste electrical equipment (see letsrecycle.com story) .

In a statement, it said that it showed a determination to raise public awareness and achieve higher WEEE recycling rates. The national TV advert will bring the message to millions. ICER is the focal point for industry to work together to meet the higher targets expected from Brussels in the next few years.”

Shaun Elliott, managing director of Aylesford Metal, said: Aylesford Metal is one of the largest purchasers of E Waste generated ferrous in the South East. Our processes add significant value to these materials prior to smelt. It is only correct that we help fund this E Waste TV advert as an investment for the industry.

Econo-Weee

Original members of the alliance also commented on their contribution to broadcasting the advert.

David Adams, director of Econo-Weee, saidthe companywas delighted to have the opportunity to contribute.

He said: “The recycling of WEEE is vitally important, and we must make it as easy as possible for the public to do their bit. With adverts like this, we can work together to achieve increased awareness, and together divert more WEEE away from wheelie bins.”

Valpak

Duncan Simpson, Valpaks director of sales & marketing said: Valpak are pleased to be involved in this fantastic WEEE recycling advertising initiative. Were keen to ensure that more householders are aware that there is now an established recycling route for their waste electrical and electronic items.

We hope that this campaign will help people to realise that they do not need to throw these items away for disposal to landfill, and that they can easily and conveniently drop these items off for recycling. We think that this initiative will help householders to realise that once their electronic items are safely dropped off at licensed recycling points, they will be collected, treated and recycled correctly.