WRAP publishes good practice guidance for WEEE

Good practice guidance which aims to improve both the quantity and quality of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) being collected and treated has been published online this week (August 17) by the Waste & Resources Action Programme (WRAP).

The guidance has been developed by WRAP in partnership with industry, government and the Environment Agencies. It outlines how those involved in the WEEE sector can go beyond the requirements of the WEEE Regulations in areas such as collecting material from civic amenity sites and in-store takeback points.

It is aimed towards the entire supply chain, ranging from producers of electrical equipment, via waste collection authorities through to approved exporters of WEEE, and follows on from WRAP research carried out to identify where market intervention could be needed to develop the market.

WRAP explained that the guidance had been compiled because it had identified a requirement to “improve” how WEEE is collected, and also claimed it would have role to play in tackling illegal exports of WEEE.

“In particular, this will help site operators to find ways to reduce ‘leakage' from their collection sites and so reduce illegal export of WEEE from the UK,” it said.

WRAP stressed that the document was not intended to duplicate either the recently-updated WEEE Code of Practice, which governs the collection of WEEE from designated collection facilities – generally civic amenity sites – or guidance on best available treatment methods.

But, it said that the online tool aimed to provide a range of options for going beyond this which would improve business opportunities for companies and organisations that did so, as well as highlighting to users how they were just one part of the WEEE supply chain and how their actions impact on others.

Topics

Among the topics covered on the collection side of things are how to raise public awareness of recycling and reuse, reuse and kerbside collections, retail take-back, data management and reporting and information for business users of electrical equipment.

Meanwhile, the treatment guidance covers topics including: health and safety and environmental procedures; traceability and management systems; communication between treatment facilities and their stakeholders; treatment for both reuse and recycling; export; and, site management.

Dr Philip Morton, chief executive of the REPIC producer compliance scheme, which was involved in developing the guidance said: “REPIC is pleased to have worked with WRAP and the other stakeholders on this project. We hope the guidance will be widely adopted and lead to higher WEEE collection rates, less leakage and more direct relationships between WEEE collectors and PCSs.”

His sentiments were echoed by Stephen Clark, managing director of WEEE compliance scheme Budget Pack, who expressed his hope that the guidance would be used by all bodies involved in collecting and treating WEEE to allow them to “assess the effectiveness” of their operations.

And, Sarah Chapman, regional operations director for environmental services at services company May Gurney, added: “Waste for WEEE is the fastest growing stream in the UK and responsibility falls on the industry to work together to raise awareness and share best practice for disposal.”