WEEE: countdown to compliance

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WEEE countdown to compliance
On-line WEEE Briefing 15 December 2006
ADRIAN HARDING Policy Advisor (Producer
Responsibility)
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Why a WEEE Directive?

From the Directive The amount of WEEE
generated in the Community is growing rapidly.
The content of hazardous components in electrical
and electronic equipment (EEE) is a major concern
during the waste management phase and recycling
of WEEE is not undertaken to a sufficient extent.
The RSAs WEEE Man
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WEEE Directive - key features

• sets a target for separately collecting household
  WEEE
• no obligation on householders to separate WEEE
• retailers to offer in-store take-back or
  collection through alternative arrangements
• all separately collected WEEE to be treated
• all treatment sites to be regulated
• sets recovery and recycling targets for various
  categories of separately collected WEEE
• producers to fund treatment / recycling
• separate arrangements for non-household WEEE

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Environmental goals

• The WEEE Directive is about
• more sustainable use of resources
• higher treatment standards
• diverting more waste from landfill
• more recovery and recycling

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Turning the Directive into UK law

• two separate sets of regulations
• UK regulations cover product marking, take-back
  and recycling obligations
• separate regulations will cover site licensing
  and treatment standards separate but similar
  provisions for England and Wales, Scotland, and
  Northern Ireland
• we will be the main regulator for England and
  Wales

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Implementation

• the UK is one of the last countries in the EU to
  implement the Directive - almost 2 years late
• Dtis Regulations were laid before Parliament on
  12 December 2006 and come into force on 2 January
  2007
• the WEEE Permitting Regulations will be laid in
  Parliament today expected to come into force on
  5 January 2007
• WEEE Day 1 July 2007

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Retailers

• Government has appointed Valpak Retail WEEE
  Services to run a national Distributor Take-back
  Scheme (DTS)
• the DTS will contract with retailers and
  Designated Collection Facilities (DCFs) around
  the country. It is expected that existing local
  authority civic amenity sites will form the
  backbone of the DTS network
• 10 million funding from retailers will pay for
  upgrading local authority sites
• retailers can opt for in-store take-back instead

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What is a producer?

• most of the Directives requirements fall to
  producers
• producers are people who
• import electrical and electronic equipment (EEE)
  on a professional basis
• make and sell EEE under their own brand
• resell EEE under their brand only
• for the WEEE Regulations, its the UK market that
  matters

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What will Producers need to do?

• join an approved Producer Compliance Scheme by 15
  March 2007 Schemes will be approved by 28
  February 2007
• apply to be a registered Producer by 31 March
  2007, there is a registration fee of 700
  (less for small businesses)
• - we estimate that there will be around 4,000 -
  10,000 Producers registering
• pay for a proportion of separately collected
  household WEEE to be treated and recycled

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What else will Producers need to do?

• supply data on the types and quantity of new EEE
  placed on the market (103 categories for B2B,
  and B2C)
• provide information on the dismantling and
  recycling of new products
• mark all new EEE with a crossed-out wheelie bin
  symbol and producers mark

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Household WEEE - overview
199 Disposal Authorities 1,000 sites?
4,000 10,000?
10 - 30?
?
?
DCF
Producer
Producer Compliance Scheme
Producer
AATF
Reprocessor
Producer
DCF
Producer
DCF
AATF
Reprocessor
Producer Compliance Scheme
DCF
Producer
Reprocessor
AATF
Producer
DCF
Producer
Reprocessor
Producer Compliance Scheme
DCF
AATF
Producer
Reprocessor
DCF
AATF
Reprocessor
Producer Compliance Scheme
Producer
DCF
Producer
Producer
Reprocessor
DCF
AATF
DCF
including approved exporters
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Whos responsible for non-household WEEE?

• for waste from equipment purchased before 13
  August 2005, the end user is responsible for
  treatment and recycling, unless they are buying
  replacement products in which case the producer
  supplying the new equipment will have these
  responsibilities
• for equipment put on the market after 13 August
  2005, the producer supplying that equipment will
  have to take responsibility unless both parties
  negotiate alternative arrangements

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Preparing for registration

• What were doing includes
• agreeing with Government, the NWML and other
  regulators a co-ordinated system for handling
  Scope queries
• liasing with prospective Compliance Schemes to
  agree common data formats, etc
• preparing application packs for Compliance
  Schemes
• developing an IT system
• producing guidance
• communicating with key stakeholders

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WEEE permitting and treatment

• permitting based on Waste Management Licensing
• three new exemptions (i) storage, (ii)
  repair/refurbishment, and (iii) lamp crushing
• weve adopted interim regulatory positions ahead
  of the exemptions becoming available
• the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment
  (Waste Management Licensing) (England and Wales)
  Regulations 2006 expected to come into force on
  5 January 2007
• treatment guidance available from Defras website

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Treatment capacity in UK

• good capacity for fridges and freezers, and some
  of Europes largest and most modern facilities
• good capacity for lighting
• growing capacity for treatment of TVs and
  monitors
• recent capacity for consumer equipment (e.g.
  hi-fi, vacuum cleaners, kettles, etc)

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Treatment and recycling overseas

• the WEEE Directive allows this
• BUT
• exports must comply with TFS requirements
• recovery/recycling can only count for the
  fulfilment of obligations and targets if the
  exporter can prove that the recovery, reuse
  and/or recycling operation took place under
  conditions that are equivalent to the
  requirements of the WEEE Directive

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Evidence

• protocols are being developed to enable loads of
  mixed WEEE, and WEEE derived materials to be
  linked to the various categories of WEEE
• only approved Authorised Treatment Facilities and
  approved exporters will be able to issue evidence
  of treatment and recycling
• approval is an annual process
• independent auditors will validate the treatment
  and recycling data

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Further information

• the Dti has lots of up-to-date and in-depth
  information on its website (including the WEEE
  Regulations)
• www.dti.gov.uk/innovation/sustainability/weee/page
  30269.html
• Defras Permitting Regulations and Treatment
  guidance are available from its website
• www.defra.gov.uk/environment/waste/topics/electric
  al/index.htm

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Further information

• you can get more information on the regulations
  from our website will be updated next week
• www.environment-agency.gov.uk/weee
• there are links to frequently asked questions
  and a list of events, seminars and workshops you
  could attend to find out more
• application forms for Schemes seeking approval
  should be available in the next week
• queries relating to our WEEE role and activities
  should be directed to our National Customer
  Contact Centre on 08708 506 506 (Monday-Friday
  8am to 6pm) or via e-mail to enquiries_at_environment
  -agency.gov.uk

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• Thank You

ADRIAN HARDING Policy Advisor (Producer
Responsibility) Environment Agency
Please note This presentation provides a summary
of some but not all of the WEEE Directives
requirements. It was written on 14 December
2006. You are advised to refer to the text of the
Directive and subsequent UK Regulations.
Commencement dates are subject to confirmation.
Nothing in this presentation is intended to be a
definitive statement of law.