In December, Defra published the outcomes to its latest consultation on e-waste.
In response to feedback, vapes were included as a new category within the WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) Directive, with online marketplaces also brought into scope. While these developments hit the headlines and are positive news, the findings included a range of views that may affect local authority services in future.
Collection was a common theme. Over 60 per cent of respondents agreed that WEEE collections should be funded by those producers and distributors without takeback schemes, and that this would have a positive impact on the volume of WEEE recycled. Household collections were broadly supported, although local authorities would not be mandated to provide these services.
Compliance schemes such as Valpak continue to provide the evidence for producers through collection networks and, in turn, demonstrate progress against targets. We have a long history of partnering with authorities to recycle WEEE and batteries from HWRCs and, given the proven capability of local authorities when it comes to collecting waste from households, there is a strong potential for developing a similar service for waste electrical items.
Under the current system, local authorities are able to choose from a range of service providers. There are a number of compliance schemes, which give local authorities the ability to pick one which best suits their service requirements. For example, Valpak has provided our partner authorities with support in areas such as household battery collections and social media campaigns.
Communication campaigns are pivotal in any new service, and the consultation results reflected this, with 89 per cent of respondents agreeing that producers should provide information on recycling and disposal at point of sale. The benefits of awareness raising can be far-reaching. When Valpak funded a Facebook campaign to increase the capture of small WEEE at HWRCs, it drove up capture rates for target materials, as well as resulting in an uplift of other materials in the service.
The consultation showed a strong preference for a higher weighting for reuse when it comes to targets. Valpak has long pushed for a greater focus on reuse. In 2022, we proposed the first WEEE reuse evidence uplift to the WEEE compliance fee – a financial mechanism intended to fill the gap when targets are missed, which provides crucial funding to projects that support local authorities.
The success of future WEEE reforms is reliant on clear goals and target setting, accurate data collection and reporting, and strong communication channels between local authorities and compliance schemes. Combining these elements with initiatives such as sustainable product design will go a long way to building a more responsible, effective system for the future.
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