Commission proposal recasting the WEEE Directive Orsolya CSORBA European Commission – DG Environment

IdentiPlast 2009

Outline of the presentation 1. Introduction „

Policy context

„

Facts and figures

2. Recast of the WEEE Directive 3. Expected benefits from the proposal

Introduction

Policy context- across the Life-Cycle Natural Resources

Disposal

Waste & Recycling

Natural Resources

Reuse, Recycling, Recovery

Design

SCP: Better Products

Manufacturing

Collection

Distribution Use

SCP: Smarter Consumption

SCP: Leaner Production

Facts and figures „ Dynamic market Î

Expanding electronics market - fast innovation cycles

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Yearly 10.3 million tonnes of electrical and electronic equipment are placed on the market in the EU-27

„ Fast growing waste stream Î

WEEE generation: around 9 mn tonnes per year

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Forecast: 12.3 million tonnes of WEEE by 2020

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up to 24 kg WEEE per EU inhabitant per year

Why a WEEE Directive? „ Fastest growing waste stream „ 90% was landfilled, incinerated or recovered without pretreatment „ Use of hazardous materials „ RoHS and WEEE Directives to solve this

Present WEEE Directive „ Collection of waste (collection target: 4kg/ person yearly) „ Treatment, reuse, recycling and recovery of WEEE „ Recycling and recovery targets „ Producer responsibility – financing the waste management „ Situation changed since WEEE and RoHS- but still not optimal

Revision of the Directive

Main problems „ “Leakage” of WEEE Î

Sub-standard treatment in EU

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Illegal waste shipments out of EU

„ Administrative burden Î

Registration and reporting requirements for producers

„ Lack of clarity – hampers markets Î

Unclearities in scope

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Unclearities in definitions (free riding)

Problems related to waste leakage „ Only 33% WEEE is reported as collected and treated „ 13% goes to landfill „ 54% potentially to substandard treatment inside and outside the EU (Illegal trade to 3rd countries )

¾ Environmental Damage ¾ Materials to replace raw materials are lost ¾ Loss of business opportunity for waste industry and related employment

Leakage of WEEE 54% possibly to unauthorised treatment and / or illegal export

33% Household

13% Landfills

Collection facility/retailer/ 2nd hand shop

Proper treatmentrecyclingrecovery

Key issues of the WEEE recast (1) „ Changed collection target Î

65% by weight of EEEs placed on MS market in the two preceding years on average (non household appliances included) by producers by 2016 „ Better enforcement of the Directive Î Export of WEEE and treatment of WEEE Î Minimum monitoring requirements for shipments of WEEE „ Changed recycling/reuse target Î Increased targets by 5% for reuse of whole appliances Î Recovery and recycling /reuse target for medical devices

Key issues of the WEEE recast (2) Better control of waste - through the supply chain „ Extended Producer Responsibility Î

Member States to encourage producers to finance all the cost occurring for collection facilities from private households

„ Important because: Î

Reduce sub-optimal treatment or illegal shipping

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Net benefit for producers from direct access to WEEE

„ Producers totally or partially in 18 MS already pay for these costs

Key issues of the WEEE recast (3) „ Reduced administrative burden Î Harmonised registration and reporting for producers Î National producer registers to be inter-operational Î Potential savings for industry of up to over 60 million € expected „ Clarification of scope Î Clarified which appliances excluded from the scope Î Comitology to categorise household and non-household equipments „ Clarification of definitions and alignment with other policies Î Definitions (ex: with waste framework directive) Î Visible fee allowed in line with SCP

Expected benefits from the proposal

Expected impacts „ Environmental improvement Î Better control of the waste stream „ Better regulation Î Improved clarity Î Administrative burden reduction „ Business opportunity Î More revenue and jobs for the waste treatment sector Î Recycling creates 5 to 7 times more jobs than incineration, 10 times more jobs than disposal at landfills Î Contributes to the employment of long term unemployed and disadvantaged Î Recovered material value of ~ € 2 bn a year

European Commission [email protected]

http://ec.europa.eu/environment/