Latest Updates | WEEE Explained | Official Documents

• There is a possibility that as non-EU countries adopt electronics disposal laws, there will be multiple unique sets of rules, which could create further complexities for electronics manufacturers. Japan, Taiwan, South Korea and other countries as well as some US and Canadian States already have WEEE recycling requirements.

• WEEE states that each producer's EU market share, year by year, will determine the amount of waste by weight it will be responsible for. Although, the directive does not state how market share is to be calculated, this will normally be by weight.

• Manufacturers requirements (labeling, registration, etc.) apply if they place the product on the market. Obligations for recycling will be based on market share in that EU Member State.

• Producer responsibility for end of life is only for those products that are collected. There is no collection target for producers, but targets are set for the proportion of collected WEEE that must be recovered and recycled.

In each EU Member State, the government will set up an administration body, which some states call a “National Clearing House”. Producers will need to register and provide data on past sales in weight terms. The administration will then calculate the weight of recovered WEEE that each producer is obliged to collect from collection sites and recycle. Producers can offset their obligations by their own collection schemes. Most manufacturers will not want to be involved with collection, treatment and recycling of WEEE and so will join compliance schemes. For a fee, these will register on their members' behalf and meet their obligations. Names of compliance schemes are listed in the Perchards report.

Resources:

>>  Visit the WEEE Forum, an association of collective WEEE take back systems in Europe, for guidance on European collective take back systems.  Also available for download is the association's Guidance Document, which details options and advice for meeting your legal WEEE related requirements in Europe.