MoreThanWaste.com - UK makes WEEE progress and amending regulations issued (18/12/2007)

London: Figures have been released by the DBERR (Department of Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform), showing the progress made during the initial compliance period under the 2006 WEEE regulations. In addition new regulations modifying the earlier regulations have been issued, which come into effect from 1 January.

DBERR says that there are a total of 1556 designated collection facilities (DCFs) which the Department considers meets the requirement of the WEEE Directive for the establishment of an adequate network of collection facilities for household WEEE. The vast majority of these are represented by Civic Amenity sites which are set up for the use of the public across the UK, by waste disposal authorities (WDAs).

Provisionally 100,000 tonnes of household WEEE were separately collected during the first three months of the WEEE system which equates, over a projected 12 month period to 7kg per head of population compared to the EU target of 4kg per head of population.

For the first compliance period 37 producer compliance schemes (PCSs) were approved and operational, though none of these were approved by the Department of the Environment in Northern Ireland. Three further PCSs have been approved by the Environment Agency in preparation for the second WEEE compliance period.

WEEE processing at an authorised treatment facility

DBERR says that in total, 4065 producers have been registered with the environmental agencies by PCSs. The major component of these are located in England at 3696 (91%), 96 are located in Wales, 95 are in Scotland, 36 are in Northern Ireland and 142 are located outside the UK.

In terms of the quantities of household electrical and electronic equipment, at least 1.51 million tonnes have been placed on the UK market with 0.51 million tonnes placed during 2006.

Distributor Takeback Scheme

There were 2680 members of the Distributor Takeback Scheme at 5 November 2007, which represents in excess of 75% of UK electrical retailing on a volume of sales basis, according to DBERR. The membership fees have been made available to local authorities to support the upgrade and use of civic amenity sites as DCFs.

During the first compliance period 158 applications covering 283 sites were submitted for approval as authorized treatment facilities (AATFs). The Department says that 143 of these were approved covering 248 sites and, in addition, 117 applications have been received for the second compliance period of which 114 covering 202 sites have been approved.

Forty-one exporters were given approved status for the first compliance period and 32 applications having been received for the second compliance period.

Further information

Details on Producer Compliance Schemes and registered producers can be found on the Environment Agency’s web site at www.environment-agency.gov.uk/weee

For further information on the new December 2007 regulations and progress on WEEE visit http://www.berr.gov.uk/files/file42879.pdf
and for a copy of the new Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (Amendment) Regulations 2007 visit
http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2007/pdf/uksi_20073454_en.pdf .


	UK makes WEEE progress and amending regulations issued (18/12/2007) London: Figures have been released by the DBERR (Department of Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform), showing the progress made during the initial compliance period under the 2006 WEEE regulations. In addition new regulations modifying the earlier regulations have been issued, which come into effect from 1 January. DBERR says that there are a total of 1556 designated collection facilities (DCFs) which the Department considers meets the requirement of the WEEE Directive for the establishment of an adequate network of collection facilities for household WEEE. The vast majority of these are represented by Civic Amenity sites which are set up for the use of the public across the UK, by waste disposal authorities (WDAs). Provisionally 100,000 tonnes of household WEEE were separately collected during the first three months of the WEEE system which equates, over a projected 12 month period to 7kg per head of population compared to the EU target of 4kg per head of population. For the first compliance period 37 producer compliance schemes (PCSs) were approved and operational, though none of these were approved by the Department of the Environment in Northern Ireland. Three further PCSs have been approved by the Environment Agency in preparation for the second WEEE compliance period. WEEE processing at an authorised treatment facility DBERR says that in total, 4065 producers have been registered with the environmental agencies by PCSs. The major component of these are located in England at 3696 (91%), 96 are located in Wales, 95 are in Scotland, 36 are in Northern Ireland and 142 are located outside the UK. In terms of the quantities of household electrical and electronic equipment, at least 1.51 million tonnes have been placed on the UK market with 0.51 million tonnes placed during 2006. Distributor Takeback Scheme There were 2680 members of the Distributor Takeback Scheme at 5 November 2007, which represents in excess of 75% of UK electrical retailing on a volume of sales basis, according to DBERR. The membership fees have been made available to local authorities to support the upgrade and use of civic amenity sites as DCFs. During the first compliance period 158 applications covering 283 sites were submitted for approval as authorized treatment facilities (AATFs). The Department says that 143 of these were approved covering 248 sites and, in addition, 117 applications have been received for the second compliance period of which 114 covering 202 sites have been approved. Forty-one exporters were given approved status for the first compliance period and 32 applications having been received for the second compliance period. Further information Details on Producer Compliance Schemes and registered producers can be found on the Environment Agency’s web site at www.environment-agency.gov.uk/weee For further information on the new December 2007 regulations and progress on WEEE visit http://www.berr.gov.uk/files/file42879.pdf and for a copy of the new Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (Amendment) Regulations 2007 visit http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2007/pdf/uksi_20073454_en.pdf .