ESTONIAN ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW 2009

2004
2006
80
2005
2007
target of 15%
80
60
60
40
40
20
20
%
0
glass plastic paper and
cardboard
9.9. Recycling of packaging material in 2004–2007. Data: EEIC.
metal wood other
0
9.6. Products of concern
A product of concern, for the purposes of the Waste Act,
is a product the waste resulting from which causes or may
cause health or environmental hazards, environmental
nuisances or excessive pollution of the environment.
Such waste may fall into the category of either hazardous
or non-hazardous waste. Products of concern include
electrical and electronics equipment and parts thereof,
most motor vehicles (passenger cars and vans) and parts
thereof, batteries, accumulators and tyres.
Producers’ responsibility is applied with regard to
products of concern. Producers’ responsibility takes
place based on the principle that the polluter pays – the
responsibility for handling the waste is imposed on the
producer. A producer according to the Waste Act is a
person who manufactures and sells products under the
person’s trade mark or trade name, engages in the resale
of products manufactured by others, regardless of the
method of sale, including mail order sale and sale by
electronic means, or imports products into Estonia in
order to market or resell them. All producers of products of
concern have the obligation to collect and send to further
waste treatment (recovery, recycling or disposal) waste
from products of concern that it has introduced to the
market. For instance, a seller of refrigerators must accept
back old refrigerators from a person buying a refrigerator.
Producers must generally accept the waste free of charge
and bear all costs related to waste handling. Consumers
will still indirectly cover the costs, as the costs of handling
are “priced in” the new product.
Producers’ responsibility for products of concern is a
relatively new field in Estonia; it took effect on 1 May 2004
along with the new Waste Act. From 13 February 2006,
all producers of products of concern must register with
the register of products of concern (PROTO), and file data
on products introduced to the market, and collected and
recovered quantities of waste. As of 1 January 2009, 309
producers of products of concern had been registered
in the register. Although most of the largest producers
and sellers of products of concern are registered, many
smaller companies have not done so yet; thus registration
continues.
A fair amount of information has already been gathered
regarding collection and handling of end-of-life vehicles
and used tyres, on the basis of which conclusions can
be drawn, but there are still few data regarding other
products of concern.
The requirement for collection and handling of end-oflife
vehicles and used tyres entered into force for manufacturers
on 1 January 2005, and for WEEE on 13 August
2005. As the field is a new one, the problems related to
the implementation of this obligation have not yet been
resolved, but trends show the situation is improving.
Legislation has also set forth targets for recovery and
recycling of waste from products of concern. From 1 January
2006, producers are obliged to recover at least 85% of
the mass of end-of-life vehicles. The mass of components,
materials and substances reused and recycled must be at
least 80%. Starting 1 January 2015, the respective figures
will be 95% and 85%.
In 2006 a total of 11,035 end-of-life vehicles were collected;
in 2007, the figure was 12,664. A total of 83% of the
total mass of collected end-of-life vehicles was recovered
and reused in 2006; in 2007, 82% (figure 9.10).
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