Today (1 March), the Environmental Agency (EA) has released its data for WEEE collections in 2021, revealing that the UK is marginally closer to meeting its annual collection targets.
The new figures show current levels of WEEE collection as just 2.6 per cent (13,088 tonnes) below target, compared to the previous year, when collection was missing the target by 8.6 per cent (43,495 tonnes).
There is a considerable increase in collection from 2020, with a 6.6 per cent increase in collected tonnes between 2020’s overall 460,133.963 tonnes collected, and the 490,540.6 tonnes of WEEE was collected in 2021.
Despite the increase in collection from the previous year, collections fell 4.7 per cent between Q1 and Q5 in 2021, with 120,554 tonnes collected between January and March 2021, declining to 114,908 tonnes being collected between October and December. The biggest decrease in collection occurred between Q3 and Q4, with a 9.4 per cent decrease.
In light of missing its annual target for the fifth consecutive year, the EA was able to surpass its collection target for three WEEE categories: medical devices (110.5 per cent above target), display equipment (5.2 per cent above target), and appliances containing refrigerants (3.1 per cent above target).
In an attempt to draw closer to meeting these targets, the EA imposes ‘compliance fees’ to obligated producers, following each failed target. This fee goes toward the WEEE fund, which supports projects bettering WEEE recycling and reuse.
Commenting on the new figues, Rob Staniforth, Innovation and Policy Director for Ecosurety said: “The end of year picture is much more positive than last year’s, and in fact, more positive than anticipated. The improved collection figures stand as a testament to the hard work of the thousands of people involved in collecting, sorting and recycling. It is also a consequence of citizens re-engaging with recycling their electricals post-lockdown.
“Fortunately, it means producers will not be over-reliant on the Compliance Fee in order to fund the system. The compliance fee fund helps to support recycling initiatives but it is not a substitute for financing the real recycling that takes place around the country every day. We anticipate that Defra will be looking to build on these successes, rather than re-invent the wheel with their anticipated consultation later this year.”
Louise Grantham, Chief Executive for REPIC, added: “Total household WEEE collections for 2021 were 490,541 tonnes, 2.6 per cent short of the overall 503,629 tonnes target. The national lockdown early in the year undoubtedly impacted on collections, which were 2.7 per cent lower than 2019 pre-pandemic levels, with the biggest shortfall being in the Small Mixed WEEE categories, 2 to 10, which in overall terms were 10.5 per cent below target.
“The Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted even further that the relationship between an item of EEE being placed on the market and its final disposal is complex, therefore it is important that we set targets based on evidence-based research wherever possible.
“Changing consumer spending habits during the pandemic saw the tonnage of EEE placed on the market in 2020 and 2021 increasing by 10.2 per cent and 14.7 per cent respectively, when compared to 2019, yet WEEE collections fell, meaning a product placed on the market does not always result in the disposal of an item of WEEE.
“Consumer behaviour is therefore one of the principle determining factors in the amount of WEEE available for collection, and whilst some data is available on this, it is certainly not complete. As we move towards a more circular economy, our focus will need to broaden from waste generation targets towards those aimed at keeping precious resources in use for longer.”
Nigel Harvey, CEO of Recolight, also commented: “It is particularly pleasing that 2021 WEEE collections are relatively close to the 2021 target. But the total tonnage is still below the pre-pandemic totals in 2018 and 2019. More importantly though, a tonnage target, on its own, is no longer an adequate metric. It does not capture the circular practices that are increasingly being adopted by producers, and still places too much emphasis on recycling, without prioritising reuse. The forthcoming WEEE consultation gives a great opportunity to explore additional ways of defining and measuring WEEE success.
"Waste lamp collections in 2021 were buoyant – up 17 per cent on 2020, although tonnages will continue to decline as fluorescent lamps are increasingly replaced by integrated LED light fittings.”
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