Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment is considered to be one of the fastest growing waste streams in the EU. The Waste Management (Electrical and Electronic Equipment) Regulations, S.L. 549.89, which brings into effect the provisions of Directive 2012/19/EU, aims to prevent or reduce the negative environmental effects resulting from the generation and management of WEEE by focusing on the sustainable production and consumption through the prevention, re-use, recycling and other forms of recovery of WEEE, with the objective to reduce the disposal of such waste.
These regulations also seek to improve the environmental performance of all operators involved in the life cycle of EEE such as producers, distributors, consumers and operators involved in the collection and treatment of WEEE.
The WEEE Regulations apply to all EEE which depend, generate, transfer or measure electric current or electromagnetic fields with a voltage rating not exceeding 1,000V for AC and 1,500V for DC.
Producers of EEE are required to provide for the financing of the collection, treatment, recovery, treatment, recovery and environmentally sound disposal of WEEE from private households and from users other than private households. Producers of EEE may wish to fulfil their obligations either individually or by participating in a WEEE Compliance Scheme. For further details on obligations of producers of EEE refer to click here.
Categories of EEE (Non-exhaustive List) covered by the WEEE Regulations:
• Temperature exchange equipment;
• Screens, monitors, and equipment containing screens having a surface greater than 100 cm2;
• Lamps;
• Large equipment with any external dimension more than 50cm;
• Small equipment with no external dimension more than 50cm; and
• Small equipment with no external dimension more than 50cm; and
• Small IT and telecommunication equipment with no external dimension more than 50cm.
For further details on the WEEE Regulations refer to the FAQs.
For further information related to registration and renewals with the Authority as well as guidance for self-compliant producers and producer responsibility organisations [click here]