As suppliers rush to get the latest mobile phones, sleekest televisions, and most efficient washing machines in the shops to supply Christmas demand, the question being asked by SEPA, Scotland’s environment watchdog, is ‘What happens to the old ones?’

Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) has been identified as a priority waste stream at both European Community and UK level. Electrical products reaching the end of their lifecycle are posing an increasing threat to the environment, both from the hazardous content of many of their components to the sheer volume of products being disposed of.

Priority Waste Stream Projects are being developed by SEPA as part of the National Waste Strategy: Scotland and the Waste Data Strategy to gather a wide range of information about specific waste streams which are considered important because of their volume, hazardous nature, recyclability or their market development potential.

WEEE covers a broad range of consumer and commercial equipment, from household items like fridges, phones, TVs, lamps and sewing machines to specialist equipment like hospital dialysis equipment and heating regulators. This complex waste stream requires several levels of reprocessing and recycling expertise to ensure maximum value is recovered. The EC is currently progressing with two Directives designed to deal with WEEE. These Directives will set environmental standards for the development and life cycle of Electrical and Electronic Equipment (EEE), restrict the use of certain hazardous substances in EEE and established recovery, recycling and re-use targets.

The WEEE directive focuses on producer responsibility This means producers will be responsible for taking back and recovering electrical and electronic goods when they reach the end of their life. Manufacturers will have to organise and finance the treatment, recovery and disposal of this waste, which may include the collection of goods from households free of charge. The directive will also provide an incentive to design electrical equipment in a more environmentally efficient way.

SEPA has commissioned TRL Ltd to conduct the study on WEEE to identify the size and source of the waste stream and look at current waste management practices. This study will explore the barriers to re-use and recovery whilst helping to evaluate the recycling capacity for Scotland.

Commenting on the priority waste stream project, SEPA’s Project Leader, John Stewart, said “The essential parts of this project are to determine the quantity and nature of this waste stream and the current infrastructure to deal with it. From these data we will be able to determine Scotland’s ability to meet the demands of the Directive, while examining best practice in the UK and abroad. The electronics and electrical sector is a highly significant part of the Scottish economy and all stakeholders, from manufacture to disposal or recycling, will work together to ensure that we maximize the environmental benefits, while minimising the costs of implementation.

ENDS

Notes to Editors

• 13 priority waste streams have been identified by SEPA under the National Waste Strategy: Scotland (NWS). These specific waste streams were identified as requiring particular attention due to their size, hazardous nature, their potential for recycling, or the economic benefit to be gained from them.
  
  
• The first major phase of the National Waste Strategy: Scotland (NWS) is nearing completion. This phase, to be launched in January 2003, will produce eleven Area Waste Plans (AWP’s) and an integrated National Plan for Scotland. These will provide an integrated solution to waste collection and management and reinforce the need for our society to adopt a culture of reduce, reuse and recycle.
  
  
• The Priority Waste Streams include:
  
  • Construction and Demolition Waste;
    
  • Tyres;
    
  • End of Life Vehicles;
    
  • Newsprint;
    
  • Special Waste;
    
  • Household Hazardous Waste;
    
  • Clinical waste;
    
  • Batteries and Accumulators;
    
  • Packaging Waste;
    
  • Chlorofluorocarbons and other ozone depleters;
    
  • Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment;
    
  • Waste Oils; and
    
  • Agricultural Waste.