Practical steps for a transition from "historical" to "future" waste systems Individual producer responsibility for the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive

Abstract: The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive of the European Commission places the responsibility on producers to finance collection and treatment of waste deposited at collection facilities after 13 August 2005, on a collective or individual basis. For "historic" waste, put on the market before this date, producers are responsible for a proportion of their respective share of the market by type of equipment. For products put on the market after 13 August 2005, termed "future" waste, producers should finance operations related to waste from his own products. Given the shortage of discussion in literature around practical implementation of individual responsibility, the research identifies practical steps that are needed for producers to address WEEE from private households on an individual, rather than a collective basis. Producers would like to control end-of-life costs; therefore, present emphasis is on setting up a competitive system in Member States. An issue that should be addressed is the fact that national schemes prevent individual producers free access to waste, due to established national networks. To address this, developments in some Member States show a national clearinghouse or register is to be formed, allowing producers to set-up multiple competing consortia. Part of the task of the clearinghouse is to apply a scheduled allocation method for pick-ups on a geographical basis, and/or reconcile recycling activities performed by individual producers. Establishing this competitive system with a fair means of dividing up obligations is the aim of producers. It is also more equitable for obligations to eventually be determined by a producer's actual return share rather than present market share, due to product longevity or market saturation of the products. Stimulating environmentally conscious design remains challenging in unsorted waste, as all producers share any financial benefits. Direct customer arrangements are acknowledged to provide opportunities to gain financial feedback, however, must be balanced by the cost-effectiveness of the activity.