Norwegian experiences

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Norwegian experiences -

• Hans Løken
• Director of Elretur AS

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Elretur AS(Merging of Hvitevareretur AS and
Elektronikkretur AS by April 2005)

• Established in 1998 by the trade organizations in
  parallell with introduction of the
• Norwegian national WEEE Regulations.
• Operating a full scale national-wide
  WEEEtake-back system from July 1st 1999.

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Elretur AS

• Owned by the 4 major Trade Organizations.
• Handle all categories household appliances, brown
  goods, computers, office machines, telecom,
  medical equipment, toys and musical instruments
  etc.
• Open to all producers
• 610 member companies (producers)
• 80 of the market
• 5 employees

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Simple to implement the WEEE Directive in
Norway!

• As a Waste Management Company, Elretur has taken
  responsibility for all
• consumer WEEE categories listed
• in the present EU WEEE
• Directive since 1999!

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Producer responsibility -Why the Collective
Solution?

• A collective system generates larger volumes.
• Larger volumes generate lower costs.
• A well organized, single waste logistics is very
  much appreciated both by retailers and
  municipalities.

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Producer responsibility -Advantages of a
collective system

• Large environmental benefits.
• Uniformed information to the consumers.
• Cost-effective for the producers.
• Lower costs for the consumers.
• Creates focus on free-riders

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Elretur WEEE logistics

• Continuously collecting WEEE from
• 2000 retailers 500
  municipality sites 100 repair shops
  
• 500 other sites (major users)

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Elretur collection results 2004

• Total 55.875 tons
• 12,2 kg/capita
• - increasing 10 in 2005!

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Elretur treatment results 2004
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Financing of the System is decided by the Trade
Associations responsible for their dedicated
product groups

• Environmental fees paid in advance by charging
• a set fee per item (TV 17 1,50, a hairdryer
  0,13 etc.)
• - or
• 2. Environmental costs paid in arrears
  according to
• the individual producers market share
  calculated on basis of the kilos of products
  imported/produced into the Norwegian market the
  previous year.

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The Free-rider challenge

• The free-riders represent a significant
  economical and psycological problem to the
  honest producers if not dealt with seriously by
  the EPA.
• The Norwegian Authorities are (at last!) dealing
  with this problem in connection with
  implementation of the EU WEEE Directive into
  Norwegian Code of Law by July 1st 2006.

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Changes in National WEEE Directive by July 1st
2006

• Mandatory cerification of both individual and
  collective take-back shemes by a Third Party.
• Mandatory reporting to Producers Register every
  6 months
• Schemes net import/production (kilos/items)
• Schemes collection and treatment results
  (kilos/items and gegrafic)
• Schemes reuse and treatment results
  (kilos/items/)
• Producers Register responsible for controlling
  schemes certificates - and policing the free
  riders.

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Elreturs Environmental Portal

• A Web-based solution for registration of
  EE-products put into the Norwegian market by
  member producers.
• Monthly in-put by the Producer of weight and
  number of items put into the market.
• The Producers customs declaration data are
  visible and will be used by Elretur in case of
  missing reports by the Producer.
• The individual Producers market share is
  calculated periodically.
• Elreturs tool for reporting to Producers
  Register.

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The Small Items Challenge

• Its convinient to get rid of
• small items in the waste bin!

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The information- and educational conceptElla
the Environmental Lorries
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Please visit us on the web www.elretur.no

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Thank you!