environment magazine

WHAT WEEE ALL CAN DO TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE

By Mark Prisk, Minister of State for Business and Enterprise

As we mark the five year anniversary of the UK’s Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Regulations, we should take time to consider why it’s in all our interests to correctly dispose of electrical goods to protect the environment and help bolster economic growth, says Business Minister Mark Prisk.

It’s estimated that as a nation we will generate 1.3 million tonnes of unwanted electrical equipment this year; the equivalent of filling Wembley Stadium 6 times over. That’s a huge figure, not only because of the environmental impact but also because of the value of materials in the waste. About £1bn worth of palladium – a very rare metal – could be discarded within old computers, televisions and other electricals over the next few years.

Despite this figure, we’re certainly a lot better than we used to be when it comes to recycling electrical goods. Recent statistics show that the first three quarters of 2011 were the most successful yet for household WEEE collections by local authorities and retailers. Almost 375,000 tonnes were collected in this time – up 4% on the same period in 2010. That was all financed by the producers of electrical equipment.

Pending results, if this positive trend continued in the last quarter, we could certainly expect to see a total collection figure of over 500k in 2011. This is great to see. It shows that people are changing their attitudes to recycling – a key aim of the WEEE Directive.

But it’s not just households that are contributing to the increase in recycling of waste electrical goods. The WEEE regulations have a significant impact on UK businesses. The introduction of the WEEE Regulations has stimulated significant progress in recent years to improve the recycling of electricals, the generation of new investment and the creation of jobs in the recycling industry whilst helping businesses meet their recycling obligations.

Increasing reuse and recycling of WEEE makes good business sense and helps improve the UK’s security of resources. Many of the precious metals and materials in WEEE come from outside the UK and are the subject of increasing demand and rising prices. We need to ensure we don’t lose these valuable resources. Developing secondary sources of supply can help businesses reduce their reliance on overseas supplies and minimise environmental impacts by reducing the need for primary extraction.

The illegal export of WEEE leads to the loss of critical materials from the UK as well as to detrimental impacts on the environment and human health of the receiving countries. Combating illegal exports continues to be a priority for the Government and UK regulatory authorities, and much effort and resource is being put into this issue with a number of prosecutions undertaken and in train.

Looking Ahead

So what’s next for the WEEE agenda? As we witnessed last month, Members of the European Parliament voted in favour of introducing higher targets for the collection of waste electricals, a widening of product scope and increasing obligations on large electrical retailers to take back unwanted items from consumers as part of a revision to the original Directive to be brought into force over the next six years.

This is certainly a welcome result as it stretches the environmental objectives of the Directive whilst avoiding unnecessary burdens, and allows sufficient time for member states to respond to the challenge.

The revised Directive requires all 27 EU member states to increase their WEEE collection rates above the current target of 4kg per person. In 2010, the UK collected almost 8kg per head – double the required amount.

Following endorsement by Europe’s Council of Ministers, the UK Government will consult on necessary amendments to the UK’s WEEE Regulations later this year. We will use that opportunity to consider other improvements we should make to the UK WEEE system that are good for business.

This will include how we might reduce administrative burdens placed on businesses by the regulations, and seek to ensure the cost of compliance by producers of electrical equipment more closely resembles the true cost of transporting and recycling the waste they are required to finance.

What you can do

Together, we’re certainly making progress and demonstrating we have the ability to recycle our electrical goods to the benefit of consumers, business and the environment. What’s important now is that we use this as a benchmark to strengthen our commitment to tackling WEEE disposal even further.

The UK Government is offering its support and guidance for businesses and the public in understanding WEEE regulations. To find out more visit www.bis.gov.uk/weee.

Top tips:
There are several easy ways to avoid house/office clutter and get rid of old electricals without throwing them away:
• Drop them off at your local recycling centre. All local authorities across the UK now have dedicated facilities for collecting waste electrical goods. Find your nearest WEEE recycling point by visiting www.recyclenow.com/why_recycling_matters/electricals

• Your trash is another man’s treasure: providing that your unwanted electrical goods are safe for use, pass them on to family and friends who could give them a good home and extend their useful life; and

• Some retailers will take back your old electrical item in store when you purchase a new item from them. Ask whether your local store participates in the Distributor Takeback Scheme, which will provide more information on local recycling facilities.