The data situation regarding sales of EEE in the EU is relatively
good even when accessibility is partly restricted by high costs. The
data shows a diverse picture, where markets are relatively saturated
in some countries, such as Germany and the Netherlands, and still
growing in others, like Poland.
The implementation of the WEEE Directive means that collection
and recovery of end-of-life appliances within the EU is much more
developed than in the US. The available information is set to
improve over the coming years. Nevertheless, overall figures for the
quantities of e-waste generated are now available, which show that
current collection rates are about 5 kg per inhabitant, equivalent to
2.2 million tonnes a year; this is about 25% of the estimated waste
arising of 8.3-9.1 million tonnes in 2005. Total e-waste arising,
including business to business, could rise to 12.3 million tonnes by
2020, the equivalent of 24 kg per inhabitant.
Significant differences can be observed between the Member
States: where nationwide systems for the collection and treatment
of e-waste have been established for several years (e.g. the
Netherlands) a much better data situation can be observed than
in countries without such a comprehensive system or where data
collection has just been started under the requirements of the
European WEEE Directive. Information on the destinations of
the e-waste collected is not always available; for example, it is
not shown whether any e-waste collected in Europe is exported.
However, studies done in the UK and the Netherlands show that an
established trade in e-waste exports existed in 2003 and that this
trade continues in 2006, albeit at a reduced level.
So far, only countries like the Netherlands have information on
recovery rates, which are high for the collected amounts (>60%) but
low compared to Japanese brands reporting under the Japanese
Household Appliance Recycling Law. More and more data on
collection rates are now published by European Member States in
response to the WEEE Directive. The highest collection rates per
inhabitant per year (inh/y) in the EU are in Sweden at 12 kg/inh/y.
Outside the EU, the collection rate in Norway is higher at 28kg/
inh/y. The WEEE Directive’s requirement to collect 4kg/inh/y was
already achieved in some Member States such as the Netherlands
and Sweden five years ago.
2006 was the first year where the WEEE Directive was
implemented in several Member States in practice. It is expected
that the data situation will improve significantly with the finalisation
of the first round of reporting at the end of 2007. However,
comparison of data across Member States is hampered by the
lack of harmonisation of WEEE product categories. Overall, the EU
represents a market which is relatively saturated, where serious
efforts are being made by governments and companies combined
to collect and recover e-waste.
Summary of results for the EU
68 l