WEEE from Directive to delivery

1
WEEE - from Directive to delivery

• ADRIAN HARDING MCIWM
• Policy Advisor (Producer Responsibility)
• Environment Agency

2
Facts and figures

• householders will produce around 1
  million tonnes of WEEE this year
  (around 93 million items)
• at least as much WEEE comes from
  non-household sources
• Source ICER

3
WEEE Directive - key features

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

4
Implementation timetable

• Directive published - 13 February 2003
• Transposition Deadline - 13 August 2004
• Implementation Deadline - 13 August 2005
• UK facing infraction
• 14 December 2005, Government announced a further
  delay to the UKs implementation
• informal consultation on Policy Conclusions ended
  19 May
• further Formal Consultation in the Autumn 2006

5
Implementation

• The WEEE Directive will be implemented in England
  Wales through two separate sets of Regulations
  
• Regulations covering product marking, take-back
  and recycling obligations and
• Regulations covering site licensing and treatment
  standards

6
Our likely role

• PERMITTING
• permitting of treatment facilities
• PRODUCER RESPONSIBILITY
• provision of guidance to producers on scope
• registration of Compliance Schemes
• verification of recycling rates
• ALSO...
• regulating the export of waste

7
Getting the job done
4,000 10,000?
10 - 20
199 Disposal Authorities 1,000 sites
200 ?
200 400 inc. exporters
Reprocessor
DCF
Producer Compliance Scheme
ATF
Producer
DCF
Producer
Reprocessor
DCF
Producer
ATF
Producer
Producer Compliance Scheme
DCF
Reprocessor
Producer
ATF
Producer
DCF
Producer
Reprocessor
Producer Compliance Scheme
DCF
ATF
Producer
Reprocessor
Producer
DCF
ATF
Producer
Reprocessor
Producer Compliance Scheme
DCF
Producer
DCF
DCF
8
Issues requiring clarification

• Include
• dispute resolution mechanisms and
  responsibilities
• the precise nature of the evidence of treatment,
  recovery and recycling
• -trading / exchange of evidence?
• arrangements for non-household (business-to-busin
  ess) WEEE

9

• Site Licensing

10
WEEE permitting and treatment

• permitting based on Waste Management Licensing
• two new exemptions expected Storage, and
  Refurbishment of WEEE
• -interim position adopted
• the Regulations will clarify transitional
  arrangements for existing facilities

11

• WEEE treatment

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WEEE Treatment

• separately collected WEEE must be treated -
  essentially to remove fluids and specified
  hazardous substances
• for most items, removal as whole items likely to
  be required
• guidance being produced by Defra and the Scottish
  Executive

13
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)

14

• Final thoughts

15
Environmental objectives

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

The challenge is to deliver these benefits
through Regulations that are clear, proportionate
and efficient
16
WEEE - from Directive to delivery

• ADRIAN HARDING MCIWM
• 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 12 June 2006.
You are advised to refer to the text of the
Directive and subsequent UK Regulations. Nothing
in this presentation is intended to be a
definitive statement of law.