(Copyright: Lets Recycle)
The European Recycling Platform has published a new report, casting an eye back over the last ten years of its work on WEEE in the United Kingdom.
Last week Lets Recycle reported on the publishing of a new report by ERP which examines its WEEE efforts over the last decade, during which it states that it has “changed the compliance and recycling landscape dramatically.”
UK producer compliance scheme, European Recycling Platform, has been providing “solutions which cover WEEE, batteries, and packaging recycling” for 10 years in the UK, and its report “examines how ERP has been effective in introducing competition to compliance markets to improve quality and reduce costs”; in addition, it “describes how ERP has worked with stakeholders and legislators to improve the WEEE system.”
It also explores the effects of the UK WEEE Regulations, implemented this year “with the central aim of reducing the amount of electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) ending up in landfill”, revealing the “impact the Regulations have had on producers, consumers, retailers, local authorities and waste treatment operators; and assesses the achievements to date and the key challenges and developments ahead.”
The CEO of ERP, Umberto Raiteri, said, “Through a positive collaborative approach, we’ve been able to participate in discussions based on experience and data, and we’ve been effective at sharing the learning, which is hugely appreciated by local and European legislators. Through our data collection, we’ve also been able to provide benchmarks on collection and return rates, which again is appreciated as it has helped to inform targets.”
In addition, Dona Caria, ERP’s quality and audit manager stated, “WEEE treatment processes have become increasingly efficient in the last decade, with improved removal of regulated substances.”
ERP’s report has discovered that over the last decade, over 17.6 million small appliances and more than 3.2 million fridges have been recycled by the scheme, and the UK has recycled more than 5 million tonnes of WEEE.
However, as well as the positive findings the report also reveals challenges to the future of effective WEEE, with homeowners “accumulating more EEE”. Nevertheless there is evidence that more businesses are getting on board, with companies “increasingly looking to producer compliance schemes like ERP to help close the loop with recycled materials and be their circular economy partner”.