Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment
(WEEE)
The UK currently produces around 1 million tonnes of
waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) each year
and it is suggested that this figure may double over the next 15
years. WEEE is one of the fastest growing waste streams and is
increasing at a rate three times that of average municipal waste
growth. The increase in disposal of WEEE relates to a number of
factors including the general increase in use of electronic and
electrical equipment, the frequent upgrading of equipment and, in
some cases, the relatively high cost of repair compared to the
purchase of new equipment.
The European Commission has identified a number of environmental
concerns which arise from the production and disposal of electronic
and electrical equipment (EEE). First, it is believed that the
environmental impact of producing electrical and electronic
equipment is often greater than that used to produce other
constituents of the municipal waste stream. Secondly, the
increasing volumes and varied nature of WEEE is difficult to
dispose of. Most is discarded in landfill sites but many of these
sites have limited space available in the long term. Finally, WEEE
contains significant amounts of heavy metals and halogenated
substances which, once disposed of through landfill or
incineration, may present hazards to public health and the
environment.
The disposal of WEEE also represents the loss of large amounts
of valuable resources, in particular metals and plastics. If these
were to be recycled it would not only divert the waste from
disposal but would also reduce the need to use virgin raw
materials.
In order to address these problems, the EC has introduced two
Directives:
- EC Directive on Waste Electrical & Electronic Equipment
(2002/96/EC)
- EC Directive on the Restriction of the use of certain Hazardous
Substances in electrical and electronic equipment (RoHS) (2002/95/EC)