International Review of Waste Management Policy - Department of ...

(with almost 1 in 5 people thinking it meant “no wheelie bin collection in this area”)
and just under half of the people surveyed had never recycled an electrical product.
Col Collection Col Collection
lection points points
In order to encourage higher collection rates of WEEE, retailers should provide good
accessible collection points as far as possible, forming a strong bridge between
consumers and producers. In addition, the take-back of old products by retailers
without the need for the consumer to purchase something new has been found to be
successful in increasing collection rates in Norway, Denmark and Switzerland.
Municipalities should also enable good accessible collection points alongside retailers
where possible, ideally with no costs falling on the municipality for such collection
(through appropriate payments made to them). The UK system is an interesting one,
but it must be questioned whether payments to local authorities really cover the full
costs of their role in WEEE collection.
Exports
Exports
The large amount of ‘hidden flows’ of WEEE indicate that, despite the current
legislation in place regarding exports of WEEE and hazardous materials, a significant
amount is still being illegally exported, ending up in countries with lower treatment
standards, with workers in these countries within the more informal recycling sectors
ending up exposed to high levels of toxic substances. 454
In order to reduce the ‘hidden flows’ passing between countries, the EU WEEE policy
revision recommends that producers should take full ownership of the collection of
WEEE, particularly the financing of its collection throughout the whole waste chain, to
avoid leakage of WEEE to sub-optimal treatment and illegal exports, as well as
shifting payment for the collection of this waste from the general tax payer to the
consumer. It may well be that this becomes necessary, in any case, in order to ensure
the new 65% collection target is met.
Financial Financial Mechanisms
Mechanisms
Financial mechanisms such as variable recycling insurance premiums associated with
products being easier to recycle, or reduced fees attached to products which when
treated in a certain way are less environmentally-damaging, should be further
explored as ways of delivering the ‘changing design of products resulting in waste
prevention’ aim of WEEE policies. In addition, in allowing producers to pay specifically
for the collection and treatment of their own returned WEEE, rather than meeting
their financial responsibility as part of a collective system based on market shares,
there will also be an increased incentive for producers to design their individual
products with waste minimisation as a priority.
Historical Historical WEEE
WEEE
454 Greenpeace (2008) Toxic Tech: Not in Our Backyard, Uncovering the Hidden Flows of e-Waste.
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