ICSG Information Circular

Transcription

1 ICSG Information Circular Waste Electric & Electronic Equipment (WEEE) May 2003 ICSG/IC/10 Notice: The information contained in this document is intended to provide an overview of the current situation of regulatory developments and composition and flows of waste electric and electronic equipment in Western Europe. This paper is provided for reference purposes only. References to sites, companies, and agencies are for information purposes only. For further information regarding this document please contact Mr. Martin Ruhrberg, Environmental Affairs Officer, International Copper Study Group International Copper Study Group Rua Almirante Barroso, 38-6, Lisbon, Portugal Tel: Fax:

2 International Copper Study Group 2 1. Executive Summary The European Commission has adopted and published on 13 February 2003 a Directive on Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE). While aiming at tackling the fast increasing waste stream of electrical and electronic equipment, the WEEE Directive sets out measures for collecting end of life electrical and electronic equipment for recovery, recycling and re-use. Its aims are to: Prevent the generation of waste of electronic and electrical equipment Promote re-use, recycling and recovery of such waste Minimise risks and impact to the environment associated with the treatment and disposal of end-of-life electronic and electrical equipment For this purpose, the WEEE directive seeks to: Establish separate collection and recycling systems for WEEE Implement the principle of producer responsibility (Producers must pay for the collection, treatment, recovery and disposal of WEEE from private households) Guarantee free take back of WEEE for consumers Achieve a collection target for private households of 4 kg WEEE per person per year Achieve recovery/recycling targets according to the type of WEEE (65% - 80%) A producer under the terms of this legislation means any company which manufactures and sells own brand electrical goods, resells electrical goods branded under their own name or imports or exports electrical goods. The WEEE directive addresses all electrical and electronic equipment used by consumers and currently not treated before going to incinerators or landfills. In the directive, all equipment that is dependent on electrical currents or electromagnetic fields is defined as an electrical product. Such WEEE is generated by both households and all kinds of commercial and industrial activities. The directive also covers a wide range of professionally used electrical and electronic equipment, such as information technology (IT) and telecommunication equipment. Timetable for Implementation of WEEE Directive: Publication of WEEE Directive: 13 February 2003 Member States Transposition: by 13 August 2004 Producer Responsibility: by 13 August 2005 Substance Ban (RoHS): by July 2006 Meeting Recycling Targets: by 31 December 2006 Regulatory Context of the WEEE Directive: Two other EU directives (one proposed, one adopted) connected with WEEE are also in the pipeline: RoHS - The Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive (adopted) EEE - Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive (proposed)

3 International Copper Study Group 3 In Western Europe, regulations and initiatives regarding WEEE collection and recycling are underway or in force in all member countries of the EU as well as in Norway and Switzerland. An overview of international and national regulations and initiatives within and outside EU is provided in this ICSG Info Circular. Waste Electric & Electronic Equipment (WEEE) The waste stream of electrical and electronic equipment is one of the fastest growing waste streams in the European Union constituting currently around 3-5% of the municipal waste and is the largest known sources of heavy metals and organic pollutants in the municipal waste. At current, a large proportion of WEEE is disposed of in landfills or incineration plants, depending on local or national practices. Regarding generation of WEEE, estimations for the European Union for 1997 vary between 5.6 Million Tonnes and 7.5 Million Tonnes depending largely on methodical assumptions and waste classification. The waste generation per capita is believed to be in the range of 12 to 20 kg/year. Non-ferrous metals including precious metals are believed to represent approximately 13% of the total weight of WEEE (with copper accounting for 7%) Aiming at verifying the information, the ICSG Secretariat has analysed available studies and data. The ICSG estimation uses available national data, an average growth rate of 4.3 % for WEEE, and further complementary assumptions regarding waste generation per capita (for household waste) and per GDP (for commercial & industrial waste) for countries where is no data available. The estimation leads to a WEEE generation rate in Western Europe (including EU-15, Switzerland and Norway) of approximately 6.4 Million Tonnes in Using available information on the different waste fractions, ICSG estimates lead to an estimated range of copper content from 6.8% to 7.3%. This range is confirmed by the potential average of around 7% of copper content which has been assumed in various studies. The theoretical copper scrap availability amounts to around tonnes of copper in To what extent these theoretical scrap arising can be recovered depends strongly on actual collection efficiency, applied technology for recycling and by-product recovery in each country. The remainder is likely exported, contained in other recycled product fractions, stockpiled, set aside and/or disposed.

4 International Copper Study Group 4 2. European Union Directive on Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) The European Commission has adopted and published on 13 February 2003 a Directive on Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE). This directive complements EC legislation on waste disposal, including the directives on landfills and incineration of waste, and follows the example set by other waste stream specific directives, such as the recently adopted End-of-life Vehicles Directive Objectives and Scope of the WEEE Directive While aiming at tackling the fast increasing waste stream of electrical and electronic equipment, the WEEE Directive sets out measures for collecting end of life electrical and electronic equipment for recovery, recycling and re-use. Its aims are to: - prevent the generation of waste of electronic and electrical equipment - promote re-use, recycling and recovery of such waste - minimise risks and impact to the environment associated with the treatment and disposal of end-of-life electronic and electrical equipment Increased recycling of electrical and electronic equipment shall limit the total quantity of waste going to final disposal. In order to reduce the amount of electrical and electronic waste disposed of in landfills and incinerators the WEEE directive seeks to establish separate collection and recycling systems for such waste. It also implements the principle of producer responsibility. This means that producers will be responsible for taking back and recycling electrical and electronic equipment. This may provide incentives to design electrical and electronic equipment in an environmentally more efficient way, which takes waste management aspects fully into account. Consumers will be able to return their equipment free of charge. The entry into force of the financing obligation will be delayed by five years to minimise the impact on producers of the financing requirement regarding waste from products put on the market before entry into force of the legislation ("historical waste"). A producer under the terms of this legislation means any company which manufactures and sells own brand electrical goods, resells electrical goods branded under their own name or imports or exports electrical goods. The WEEE directive addresses all electrical and electronic equipment used by consumers and currently not treated before going to incinerators or landfills. In the directive, all equipment that is dependent on electrical currents or electromagnetic fields is defined as an electrical product. Such WEEE is generated by both households and all kinds of commercial and industrial activities. The directive also covers a wide range of professionally used electrical and electronic equipment, such as information technology (IT) and telecommunication equipment.

5 International Copper Study Group 5 The following ten categories of WEEE are covered 1 : - Large household goods ( White Goods - eg. fridge, cooker) - Small household goods (eg. vacuum cleaners, toasters, hairdryer) - IT and telecoms (eg. computer keyboards, answer machines) - Consumer equipment ( Brown goods - eg radio and TV sets, video recorders) - Lighting equipment - Electrical and electronic tools - Toys, leisure and sports equipment (eg. rowing machine) - Medical devices (eg. cardiology, dialysis, laboratory equipment) - Monitoring devices (eg. smoke detectors, heating regulators, thermostats) - Automatic dispensers (eg. vending machines) 2.1. Timetable for Implementation and Key Features of the Directive - Publication of WEEE Directive: 13 February Member States Transposition: by 13 August Producer Responsibility: by 13 August Substance Ban (RoHS): by July Meeting Recycling Targets: by 31 December 2006 The EU governments have 18 months from the point the directive is passed in which to put the directive into national law. The collection and recycling of electrical goods by the producers must have started 30 months after the directive is passed. The finally agreed collection targets must be met 36 months after the directive is passed The collection target for private households is set at 4 kg per person per year which must be reached within 36 months. The recovery/recycling targets are to be met 10 months later. Recovery and recycling targets vary according to the type of WEEE. For example, the rate of recovery for large household items and automatic dispensers is set to 80% and the rate of reuse/recycling to 75%. For IT & TV/videos the rate of recovery is 75% with the rate of re-use and recycling set at 65%. Producers must pay for the collection, treatment, recovery and disposal of WEEE from private households. An exemption has been made to smaller manufacturers, employing less than ten people and with a turnover of less than 2 Million for a transitional period of five years. 1 Automotive applications are covered by the End-of-Life Vehicles directive.

6 International Copper Study Group 6 Further important features of the final conciliation agreement of the Member States include: - No mandatory requirement to separate WEEE from household waste will be established, but Member States are required to adopt appropriate measures in order to minimise co-disposal and thereby achieve a high level of separate collection of WEEE. - Greater emphasis is to be placed on individual producer responsibility recognizing the need for flexibility over the way in which the financing arrangements can work. Producers are responsible for financing operations in relation to their own waste and for providing guarantees that future costs will be covered for all WEEE. - The collection target of 4 kg per capita (average) has to be made mandatory and will have to be met by the end of New targets may be established by the end of Member States are required to encourage suitable design to facilitate re-use. It is also demanded that "appropriate measures" are undertaken to ensure that producers do not specifically prevent WEEE re-use. - Producers are allowed to show the cost of recycling historic waste at the point of sale of new products. This would allow member States to permit a visible fee for historic waste. This measure is time limited to a maximum of eight years for most products (10 years for large household appliances). Visible fees for "new" waste are not permitted International and National Regulatory Context Two other EU directives (one proposed, one adopted) connected with WEEE are also in the pipeline: RoHS - The Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive A directive has been recently adopted covering the content of hazardous material in electronic items. The directive requires certain substances to be phased out of equipment by July The directive on the restriction of the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment, based on article 95 of the treaty, introduces a substitution requirement for those substances in electrical and electronic equipment, which pose the main environmental problems during disposal and recycling of such waste. This requirement will support ongoing efforts to substitute these substances by less harmful substances. In line with the directive on end-of-life vehicles the targeted substances include the heavy metals: lead, mercury, cadmium and hexavalent chromium. In addition, two types of brominated flame retardants, PBB and PBDE, are required to be substituted by 1 january The substitution of PBB and PBDE must not lead to a lowering of the fire safety standards. Accordingly, the directive provides for exemptions from the substitution requirement if such substitution is not possible.

7 International Copper Study Group 7 EEE - Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive The EEE directive is still at an early stage and is likely to be amended before being adopted by the Member Countries. The EEE addresses the issue of making products eco-friendly in their design, use and end of life disposal. International and National Regulations and Initiatives In Western Europe, regulations and initiatives regarding WEEE collection and recycling are underway or in force in all member countries of EU as well as in Norway and Swizerland. Table 1 in the Annex provides an overview of existing and proposed regulations and initiatives. Many of the established regulations and initiatives will have to be adapted to the requirements of the WEEE Directive. The OECD has selected the waste stream of "electronic scrap, particularly personal computers" for the development of its Environmentally Sound Management (ESM) standards on priority waste streams. Regulations and initiatives concerning WEEE are also in force or under elaboration in other areas of the world, such as Brazil, Taipeh (China), Japan and the USA. In Brazil, a recent proposal aims to amend the existing battery take-back regulation to include domestic electric and electronic products. In Japan, the Law for Recycling of Specified Kinds of Consumer Electronic Goods requires industry to establish a take-back scheme for White Goods and TV sets. An extension to cover IT equipment can be expected for the future. The scheme inanced by end-user fees on waste equipment. In Taipei (China), amendments to the Waste Disposal Act requires importers and manufacturers of certain electronic products to pay recycling fees for financing a collection and recycling scheme. To date, the amendments target large household appliances, televisions and computers. In the USA, a broad range of state, regional and voluntary industry initiatives have been established or are underway, but no nation-wide regulation on WEEE in general has been enforced, yet. The National Recycling Coalition has compiled state and industry initiatives concerning recycling of waste electric and electronic equipment in the U.S. ( 3. Waste Electric & Electronic Equipment (WEEE) The waste stream of electrical and electronic equipment has been identified as one of the fastest growing waste streams in the European Union constituting currently around 4% of the municipal waste. increasing by 16-28% every five years - three times as fast as the growth of average municipal waste. Expected growth rates are believed to be three times higher than the average growth of average municipal waste. Growth rates of WEEE in literature vary between 3% and 5% each year. The Association of Plastic Manufacturers in Europe (APME) assumes an average growth rate of 4.3% for consumption of electrical and electronic goods since Besides emphasizing quantative waste arisings, WEEE is also believed to be one of the largest known sources of heavy metals and organic pollutants in the municipal waste. With a view to the resource intensive production of electrical and electronic

8 International Copper Study Group 8 equipment, the requirement to recycle these wastes is claimed to bear the potential for significant resource savings. At present, a large proportion of WEEE is disposed of in landfills or incineration plants, depending on local or national practices. In some countries and regions, products such as fridges and freezers are separately collected and sent to recycling plants for dismantling and recycling. Some sources indicate that currently up to 90% of electronic waste may end up in disposal or shredding facilities without any pretreatment, depollution and proper recycling of this waste. In recent years, numerous studies have been conducted on an international and national scale aiming at estimating current and future WEEE arisings. For the European Union estimations for 1997 vary between 5.6 Million Tonnes and 7.5 Million Tonnes depending largely on methodical assumptions and waste classification. The waste generation per capita is believed to be in the range of 12 to 20 kg/a. Aiming at verifying the information, the ICSG Secretariat has analysed available studies and data. The ICSG estimation uses available national data, an average growth rate of 4.3 % for WEEE, and further complementary assumptions regarding waste generation per capita (for household waste) and per GDP (for commercial & industrial waste) for countries where is no data available. The estimation leads to a WEEE generation rate in Western Europe (including EU-15, Switzerland and Norway) of approximately 6.4 Million Tonnes in 1997 (see Figure 1). The average WEEE generation per capita including household, commercial and industrial sources varies significantly between Southern and Northern Europe (Figure 2).

9 International Copper Study Group t WEEE Industry Households Austria Belgium Denmark Finland France Germany Greece Ireland Italy Luxembourg Netherlands Norway Portugal Spain Sweden Switzerland UK Figure 1: WEEE arisings in Western Europe in 1997 (ICSG estimation) kg WEEE per capita (industry & households) Austria Belgium Denmark Finland France Germany Greece Ireland Italy Luxembourg Netherlands Norway Portugal Spain Sweden Switzerland UK Figure 2: WEEE generation per Capita in Western Europe in 1997 (ICSG estimation)

10 International Copper Study Group 10 The European Topic Centre on Waste & Material Flows has presented an estimate of the composition of WEEE shown in Figure 3 2. According to this source, iron and steel are the most common materials found in electrical and electronic equipment and account for almost half of the total weight of WEEE. Plastics are the second largest component by weight representing approximately 21% of WEEE. Non-ferrous metals including precious metals represent approximately 13% of the total weight of WEEE (with copper accounting for 7%). Comparable estimations have been presented by other organisations in the national and European-wide context. Iron & Steel Non-Flame Retarded plastic Copper Glass Flame retarded plastic Aluminium Other materials Printed Circuit Boards Wood & Plywood Concrete & Ceramics Other Non-Ferrous Metals Rubber 0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45% 50% 55% Figure 3: Average material composition WEEE in Western Europe (European Topic Center on Waste & Material Flows: Cited after Taberman et al. 1995) The Association of Plastic Manufacturers in Europe (APME) has commissioned a study concerning the market for electrical and electronic goods and the potential impact of this consumption on future WEEE generation 3. In this study, it is estimated that in 2000, 13.6 Million tonnes of electrical and electronic goods including cables and electrical equipment have been produced in Western Europe. Deducting cables and other industrial electrical equipment, the WEEE directive would cover 6.7 Million tonnes of these production. Figure 4 illustrates the composition of consumed products in the electric and electronic equipment sector in the year European Topic Centre on Waste & Material Flows ETC-WMF( 3 Association of Plastics Manufacturer in Europe (APME): Plastics - Insight into Consumption and Recovery in Western Europe 2000.

11 International Copper Study Group 11 Automatic dispensers Monitoring & Control Medical equipment Toys E&E tools Lighting Consumer equipment IT and Communication Small household goods Large household goods Figure 4: Composition of consumption of electric and electronic goods covered by WEEE Directive in the year 2000 (APME) 4 The following two figures illustrate that the composition of the actual arising WEEE may vary significantly between individual member countries (Figure 5 and Figure 6). 4 Association of Plastics Manufacturer in Europe (APME): Plastics - Insight into Consumption and Recovery in Western Europe 2000.

12 International Copper Study Group 12 Medical equipment 1% Industrial equipment 1% IT & Communication 40% White Goods 42% Small appliances 8% Brown goods 8% Figure 5: Composition of WEEE in the United Kingdom in 1998 (ICER) 5 Other equipment 18% Industrial equipment 11% Medical equipment 2% IT & Communication 7% Small appliances 8% Brown goods 17% White Goods 37% Figure 6: Composition of WEEE in Germany in 1994 (ZVEI) Central Organisation of the Electrical Engineering & Electronics Industry 6 5 ICER Industry Council for Electronic Equipment Recycling Council: Status Report on WEEE. ICER ( UK ZVEI Central Organisation of the Electrical Engineering & Electronics Industry. Cited in: G. Welslau & H. Kraus: Electronic Waste (WEEE) Briefing Nº 3 to the European Parliament, Brussels, May 1998 (

13 International Copper Study Group 13 Regarding the potential impact of increased WEEE recycling on copper scrap availability in Western Europe, the average copper content of WEEE can be calculated through assumptions regarding the copper content of different commodity fractions contained in the waste stream (see Figure 7). Using available information on the different waste fractions, ICSG estimates lead to an estimated range of copper content from 6.8% to 7.3%. This range is confirmed by the potential average of around 7% of copper content which has been assumed in various studies. Industrial control equipment Medical equipment IT equipment Communication equipment Lighting Electrical Power Tools Small domestic appliances TV sets Brown goods (excl.tv) White Goods 0% 1% 2% 3% 4% 5% 6% 7% 8% 9% 10% Figure 7: Average copper content of WEEE fractions (modified after Chainet) 7 Using an average copper content of 7% and an average growth rate of 4.3% for WEEE arisings, the theoretical copper scrap availability amounts to around tonnes of copper in 2000 (see Figure 8). To what extent these theoretical scrap arisings can be recovered depends strongly on actual collection efficiency, applied technology for recycling and by-product recovery in each country. The remainder is likely exported, contained in other recycled product fractions, stockpiled, set aside and/or disposed. 7 Chainet: Electronic Consumer Case Report. Copper contents of EEE cited after Hedemalm et al

14 International Copper Study Group t Cu Copper in WEEE Figure 8: Theoretical copper scrap availability contained in WEEE in Western Europe 4. Selected Further Reading on WEEE Association of Plastics Manufacturer in Europe (APME): Plastics - Insight into Consumption and Recovery in Western Europe Association of Plastics Manufacturer in Europe (APME): Plastics Recovery from Waste Electric & Electronic Equipment in Non-Ferrous Metal Processes. Technical Paper APME. Chainet: Electronic Consumer Case Report. Copper contents of EEE cited after Hedemalm et al Directive 2002/96/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 January 2003 on Waste Electric and Electronic Equipment. Published in the Official Journal of the European Union on 13 February El-Retour: Environmental Report Published by the collective Norwegian Waste Management System for Electric and Electrical Equipment. ( Norway ICER Industry Council for Electronic Equipment Recycling Council: Status Report on WEEE. ICER ( UK Irish Environmental Protection Agency: Waste from Electric & Electronic Equipment: A Status Report. ( Ireland, May Welslau & H. Kraus: Electronic Waste (WEEE) Briefing Nº 3 to the European Parliament, Brussels, May 1998 (

15 Regulations and Initiatives Addressing Waste Electric and Electronic Equipment in Western Europe Country Name of regulation Authority Type Status Year Main objectives/impacts Austria Austrian Regulation on Waste electrical and electronical equipment, "Elektronikschrottverordnung" Bundesministerium für Umwelt, Jugend und Familie regulation in force 1993 Establishing take-back responsibility for producers of fluorescent lamps, fridges, freezers and AC units. Austria Austria Belgium Denmark Denmark Denmark Regulation on the takeback of refrigerators (Verordnung über die Rücknahme von Kühlgeräten) Development of national WEEE recycling and disposal system Duty of acceptance for Electrical and Electronic Equipment - VLAREA Action plan for enhancement of the Production, Sale, Use and Disposal of Environmentally Friendly Electronic Products Statutory order from the Ministry of Environment and Energy on management of waste from electrical and electronic products Takeback regulations for waste electrical and electronic equipment Bundesministerium für Umwelt, Jugend und Familie Umweltforum Haushalt - UFH regulation in force 1992 Regulation concerning the take-back of refrigerators initiative in process 2003 Implementation of WEEE directive expected for UFH (subdivision of Austrian Electrical & Electronic Industry Association) to develop implementation scheme. Scheme to cover refrigerators, TV screen, PC screens, white & brown goods Flemish Government regulation in force 1999 WEEE is excluded from the public waste collection system. Producers and importers will have to take back WEEE from wholesale trade and retailers, and must care for its treatment on their costs. Takeback from the last owners shall be organised by retail outlets and wholesale trade. No distinction is made between future WEEE and historical scrap. Recycling target for NFM of 95% (White & brown goods). The Electronics policy in force 2001 Board Ministry of Environment and Energy Ministry of Environment and Energy order in force 1998 Applies to handling of waste from electrical and electronic products from private households, enterprises, including waste treatment plants, and public and private institutions; take back, selected treatment, regulation in force 1999 Separate collection of waste; consumers pay for collection and recovery through higher disposal fees to the municipalities; businesses pay directly; International Copper Study Group Annex - 1

16 Regulations and Initiatives Addressing Waste Electric and Electronic Equipment in Western Europe Country Name of regulation Authority Type Status Year Main objectives/impacts Finland Takeback of waste electric & Ministry of the law proposed Implementation of WEEE directive electronic equipment Environment France Agreement on take-back of electric and electronic equipment Ministry of Industry and the Environment; Industry associations initiative proposed Aims at avoiding, reducing and recovering waste from electric & electronic equipment; take-back agreement. Germany Germany Germany Italy Ordinance on the Avoidance, Reduction and Salvage of Waste from Used Electrical and Electronical Equipment (Elektro- Altgeraete Verordnung (EAV) ["End- Electronic Equipment regulation"]) Proposal for Implementation of WEEE Directive (Elektro- und Elektronikaltgeraeteverordnung - EEAV) BMU regulation proposed 1999 Establishes a take-back obligation for entertainment and large household electric & electronical equipment; recycling-friendly product design; restriction of use of certain hazardous substances. Proposal not to be further developed. BMU regulation in process 2004 Regulation for implementing WEEE directive in elaboration until end of 2004 Regulation on end-of life uinformation BMU regulation in process 1998 Establishes a take-back obligation for producers technology equipment (IT-Altgeraete- covering information, office and communication Verordnung (ITV)) electrical and electronic equipment. Legislation on waste: Legislative Decree of 5 February 1997, No. 22 (LD 22/97), Article 44 decree in force 1997 Under LD 22/97, Art. 44, durable domestic goods (eg refrigerators, televisions, stoves, air conditioners etc) that have reached the end of their useable life, must be returned to retailers at the time of acquisition of an equivalent product, or must be given to an appropriate waste disposal company, or brought to a dedicated durable goods disposal location. The producers and importers of durable good are responsible for the collection and disposal of the goods, and are encouraged to establish recycling and recovery programmes through support from the Ministry of the Environment. International Copper Study Group Annex - 2

17 Regulations and Initiatives Addressing Waste Electric and Electronic Equipment in Western Europe Country Name of regulation Authority Type Status Year Main objectives/impacts Italy Recycling consortium to operate (a network of centers) and also pay all the costs for transporting the returned equipment Federation of Italian Services Association initiative in process 2000 Manufacturers accept responsibility, including financial responsibility, for the whole lifecycle of their products, including disposal Luxemburg Proposed regulation on take-back of CFC containing equipment and mercury lamps regulation proposed 2000 Netherlands Takeback law for waste electrical and electronic equipment (Disposal of White & Brown Goods Decree) Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment law in force 2000 Consumers can return end-of-life products to producers free of charge; suppliers being required to take back used equipment from consumers, manufacturers and importers must take back goods from their suppliers; surcharge on new products. Reuse and recycling targets are not covered by the decree but will be dealt with in technical guidelines (45-75% depending on product type). Norway Regulations regarding Scrapped Electrical and Electronic Products Ministry of the Environment regulation in force 1999 Consumers will be able to deliver electric and electronic waste free of charge to dealers or local authority collection points. The producers and importers will be responsible for setting up regional assembly points and for transport and treatment from those points. The measure is to be financed by a "recycling charge" levied on new electric and electronic products. International Copper Study Group Annex - 3

18 Regulations and Initiatives Addressing Waste Electric and Electronic Equipment in Western Europe Country Name of regulation Authority Type Status Year Main objectives/impacts Portugal WEEE - Law concerning treatment of end-of life appliances Ministry of the Environmental and Regional Planning law in force 2002 Implementing EU WEEE directive. Recycling system to be operational by 31st Dec Municipalities are responsible for household collection. Producers are responsible for proper treatment and take-back of waste appliances. 75% of the weight per home appliance equipment has to be recyclable or re-usable as well as 65% of the weight per EEE category 2 equipment and 50% of the weight per EEE category 3 equipment. Covering white goods, AC units, TVs, PCs and IT and office equipment. Spain Electronics take back program initiative in process 2000 Establishes a nation-wide program for waste electronics, covering recovery, transport to the recycling facilities and recycling; use existing regional waste management infrastructures and charge a fee to consumers. Sweden Sweden Sweden Draft regulations on environmentally sound treatment of WEEE Ordinance dealing with producer responsibility for electric and electronic products The Ordinance on Producer Responsibility Swedish Environmental Protection Agency Ministry of Environment Swedish Environmental Protection Agency regulation in process 2002 Regulating treatment operations; establishment carrying out treatment operations (certified quality or environmental management system); recording the input and output volumes of waste, separate handling of components containing hazardous waste. order in force 2001 Take-back free of charge ; Requires to inform households and others about the take back obligation; present his scheme and participate in the discussion ; treat waste in an environmentally sound manner; inform the recyclers of the content of the products. regulation in process 2002 Mandatory take-back system that will place the responsibility for disposal of both household and commercial electroscrap on producers. Establishes a network of licensed recyclers to deal with the waste stream International Copper Study Group Annex - 4

19 Regulations and Initiatives Addressing Waste Electric and Electronic Equipment in Western Europe Country Name of regulation Authority Type Status Year Main objectives/impacts Switzerland Ordinance on the return, taking back Ministry of order in force 1998 Requires owner to return to retailer, manufacturer, and disposal of electrical and electronic appliances - ORDEA Environment - SAFEL importer or disposal facilities which have to accept waste (take-back obligation); requires to recycle metals from metal bearing components if commercially acceptable; permit for export waste. United Kingdom Transform - Working venture to develop UK scheme for recycling of WEEE Industry associations (Endeva, Biffa, European Metal recycling) initiative in process 2003 International Copper Study Group Annex - 5