WEEE AND ELV | INNOVATION


Expansion of e-waste and automotive recycling


Sustainability and regulatory pressures are behind a surge of activity by industry groups aiming to improve recycling of used electronics and old cars. By Chris Saunders


The generation of Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE, or e-waste) is rising five times faster than documented recycling rates, according to a recent study by the United Nations Institute for Training and Research and the International Tele- communication Union. The Global E-waste Monitor found that 31m tonnes of metals were contained in e-waste in 2022, along with 17m tonnes of plastics and 14m tonnes of other materials. As some types of e-waste contain plastic additives or hazardous substances, the issue presents both health and environmental challenges, the organisations say. In June, The European Recycling Industries’


Confederation (EuRIC), sought to address the issue by holding an event called “Plug into sustainability: E-waste recycling,” which brought participants together to discuss the challenges in advancing


www.plasticsrecyclingworld.com


circularity and chart the way forward for increased material recovery in the EU. The main take-aways included calls to step up collection, incentivise consumers, and improve ecodesign. At the event, Ioannis Bakas, circular economy monitoring expert at the European Environment Agency (EEA) also identified the need for more binding, target-orien- tated policies, and value chain-specific strategies. The European Commission is currently evaluat- ing the EU’s WEEE Directive which was first introduced in 2003, with a new directive taking over in 2012. It said the evaluation “will assess whether the Directive is still fit for purpose, explore possibilities to simplify the Directive, and deter- mine whether a review is needed”. The Commission has already held a public consultation to gather feedback from stakeholders, and said a final report


Main image: Stadler


designed and installed an electronic waste sorting plant jointly with Immark at its site in Regensdorf, Switzerland


July/August 2024 | PLASTICS RECYCLING WORLD 49


IMAGE: STADLER


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