Tackling WEEE how can we help?

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1 Tackling WEEE how can we help? Background As part of the ongoing drive towards becoming a more sustainable and environmentally responsible planet, the Waste Electronic and Electrical Equipment Regulations 2006 were introduced to reduce the amount of WEEE being disposed of. Under this legislation, EEE manufacturers are obligated to pay for the reuse, recycling and recovery of such products. Why is this so important? Because WEEE remains one of the world s fastest growing and most complex waste streams, largely because of continued technological innovation in an era of must have gadgets and appliances. In fact, the amount of e-waste, globally, is expected to rise to reach 50 million tonnes by 2018, with an annual growth of 4-5%. The UK is among the top five per capita producers too, so whilst our economic growth is fantastic, we have a responsibility to deal with our WEEE properly. Yet progress in this arena remains mixed. Despite a number of comprehensive take back and treatment systems being offered throughout Europe, only about a third of WEEE is captured via official channels. In Europe alone this currently means six million tonnes of WEEE or more may or may not be being properly counted, reported or treated. This is potentially because, according to a survey carried out by WEEE compliance specialists REPIC, 43% of people don t even know how to recycle old or used electrical items such as kettles, mobiles phones or hairdryers.

2 What is being done to tackle this? In an attempt to achieve the progress that is so clearly needed, the original WEEE Regulations first introduced at the end of 2006 were revised. The new improved recast WEEE Directive, transposed into UK law in December 2013, better acknowledged the importance of capturing, counting and properly treating WEEE from all sources. It also cemented targets to collect: 45% 85% of WEEE by 2016 and by The new WEEE Directive also gives EU Member States the tools to fight illegal export of waste more effectively. Illegal shipments of WEEE disguised as legal shipments of used equipment, in order to circumvent EU waste treatment rules, are a serious problem. The new Directive forces exporters to test and provide documents on the nature of their shipments when the shipments run the risk of being waste. So what do you need to know? Types of WEEE WEEE comes in a number of shapes and sizes, including: Large household appliances, e.g. fridges and washing machines Small household appliances, e.g. toasters, vacuum cleaners and hair dryers IT and telecommunications equipment, e.g. PCs, printers and telephones Consumer goods, e.g. televisions and hi-fi equipment Lighting, including fluorescent tubes Electrical and electronic tools, such as drills, lawnmowers and sewing machines Toys, leisure and sports equipment, e.g. games consoles and running machines Medical devices, e.g. cardiology equipment and analysers Monitoring and control equipment, e.g. smoke detectors Automatic dispensers e.g. hot drinks vending machines. Being responsible with WEEE In many instances, unwanted or seemingly outdated electrical and electronic products can be refurbished for re-use. Even if they are no longer required by the original owner, they could still be in perfect working order, or simple repairs could fix the problem and enable the product to be sold. Where the re-sale seems unlikely, a number of domestic and international social enterprises, community initiatives and charitable organisations may be interested in this equipment. For example, elderly community groups often seek unwanted computers and laptops.

3 Due diligence is of course required when working with companies in this sector, as with any area of business. Trustworthy companies with full waste management licences and an Approved Authorised Treatment Facility (AATF) are a good starting point. They are approved by the Environment Agency to collect, store and treat WEEE and they should provide the relevant documentation when the WEEE has been transferred into their care and processed. Why does WEEE need to be better policed? By keeping unwanted electrical products and electronic scrap separate from other waste streams, pre-treating it so that any hazardous substances are removed, and then recycling a large amount of the resulting material, organisations are contributing to the achievement of landfill targets and supporting the WEEE directive. There are a number of valuable commodities within WEEE including gold, copper and palladium, to name just a few. Efforts should be made to recover these materials, so that they can be retained in the circular economy rather than disposed of prematurely via landfill. This is crucial if we are to progress towards the resource efficient Europe that we are all striving towards. It is easier and cheaper to recover valuable metals from WEEE now, than it is to dig e-scrap out of the ground. These valuable materials also attract a large amount of illegal trade, both domestically and in the export market. This is not supportive of the supply chain and does not contribute rightfully to economies within EU member states. Illegal WEEE handling can also result in more dangerous hazardous substances such as cadmium and mercury entering general waste streams. These materials must be carefully handled to protect communities from health risks and environmental damage. There is also the argument that we still do not have a true picture of the WEEE landscape. A lot of WEEE is in fact collected and recycled by scrap dealers; however it is not recorded in the system because a regular scrap man is not registered as an AATF. Better policing of the new regulations is gradually enabling the UK to have a clearer understanding of the situation we are actually in. The changing landscape As the WEEE landscape continues to change, UNTHA UK s biggest piece of advice is to monitor the media and announcements made by industry bodies such as the European Commission, the WEEE Forum and the Department for Business Innovation & Skills (BIS). This will ensure you are equipped with the most up-to-date information, and can take as many steps as possible to control costs and ensure compliance.

4 How can we help? Once WEEE has been assessed for refurbishment and re-use potential, and where initial steps have been taken to recover high value materials, organisations may also wish to consider a shredding solution. UNTHA UK s robust four shaft shredding technology has stood the test of time when it comes to delivering a trusted solution for even the most complex waste streams. Originally patented over 25 years ago, this highly-acclaimed shredding system has continued to evolve to satisfy modern waste and recycling challenges. UNTHA s sophisticated RS shredder series is therefore perfect for WEEE. The specially-engineered cutting systems can withstand hard-wearing and extreme shredding conditions, whilst at the same time achieving: Impressive throughput High availability Consistent particle sizing Cost efficiencies and healthy ROI s. A specialist in the processing of more heavy duty electrical equipment plus electronic scrap, we can also develop entire plants to mechanically process, shred and separate WEEE to produce a useful fraction. Our systems are designed so that as much material as possible is diverted from landfill, for example recyclates can be extracted and sold for re-insertion into a new manufacturing process, which also generates an additional revenue stream. A sophisticated approach such as this ensures the safe, compliant and profitable processing of this multifaceted waste.

5 In summary: Capturing more WEEE: Helps the economy WEEE contains a number of critical raw materials which are high in value. This improves the resource security of UK plc and strengthens the robustness of our commercial competitiveness. As with many areas of the waste and recycling sector, responsible WEEE handling is also another source of job creation. Creates commercial wealth Responsible, compliant WEEE handling can be a profitable area of business, with attractive ROIs for the organisations involved. Better protects the environment Robust WEEE recovery programmes prevent valuable materials from being unnecessarily landfilled, and encourage commitment to the waste hierarchy by reusing and recycling resources wherever possible. Safeguards the health risks associated with illegal export Due to the inherent complexities associated with handling this waste stream, WEEE attracts significant levels of criminal activity. But illegal exports to West African and Asian countries can jeopardise the health and wellbeing of people exposed to these notoriously dangerous materials. If you would like to speak to a member of the UNTHA UK team about your WEEE recycling requirements then please contact us on or sales@untha.co.uk. Our advice is free, and we will do all that we can to assist you.