Existing and future avenues for eco-efficient e-scrap recycling

Abstract

In August this year, the EU WEEE Directive (waste electric and electronic equipment) should he implemented by EU member states by having take-back systems in place for electronic waste. However, many of the EU member states will not accomplish this on time and still many interpretation and transposition issues remain. Extensive discussions are related to the interpretation of Annex II, the monitoring of recycling and recovery rates, on treatment standards and system organization issues like responsibilities of retailers, municipalities and other collection points. Furthermore in the member states without much infrastructure present, authorities, producers and producer organizations and recyclers are still arguing on financing issues (collective or individual, visible fee for consumers or not, accruals, historic waste, etc.). It is expected that due to these developments probably large differences per member state will appear and the opposite of a level playing field for recyclers and producers will be the end result. In this respect it should be avoided that the original idea behind the WEEE Directive, saving electronic products from the waste bin.