The UK Environmental Audit Committee launches a new inquiry into Electronic Waste (e-waste) and the circular economy
22 July 2019
The UK Environmental Audit Committee has launched a new inquiry into Electronic Waste (e-waste) and the circular economy. We would like your input for the industry position we are developing with other key associations. Please send me your comments by the 5th August. I have highlighted some key points from our sector we intend to raise. This inquiry is a key step in the build up to the consultation and review of WEEE we are expecting in the UK and a chance for us to flag our major concerns and bring them into scope of that consultation.
Context
The use of electronic devices and equipment has boomed in recent years thanks to advances in technology, materials and software. There are now more devices connected to the internet than there are humans on the planet. This is predicted to continue, fuelled by rising consumer demand and decreasing costs.
This growth has led to a rapid increase in electronic waste (e-waste). Globally, 44.7 million tonnes of e-waste were produced in 2017, 90% of which was sent to landfill, incinerated, illegally traded or treated in a sub-standard way. Europe and the US account for almost half of all e-waste globally, with the EU predicted to produce 12 million tonnes by 2020.
Chair of the Environmental Audit Committee, Mary Creagh MP, said:
“Our old fridges, freezers, computers, TVs, kettles and mobile phones are piling up in a ‘tsunami of e-waste’. “New phone launches, cheaper goods, and built-in obsolescence have contributed to the growth of electronic waste in recent years. “The UK produces more e-waste than the EU average. We are missing EU targets and are one of the worst offenders for exporting waste to developing countries, who are ill equipped to dispose of it in a socially and environmentally responsible way. “Our attitude to e-waste is unsustainable and the need for radical action clear. We will be investigating the UK’s e-waste industry and looking at how we can create a circular economy for electronic goods.”
Terms of reference
The Committee welcomes written evidence on some, or all, of the following points by 5pm on Friday, 16 August. Submissions should be made using the Electronic Waste and the Circular Economy inquiry page.
Implementing a Circular Economy for Electronic Goods
- What steps are being taken to move towards a circular economy for electronic goods? How can the UK Government support this transition?
Resource efficiency standards and eco design regulation. For BEAMA members this is the key are work. UK Government have stated they may go further to advance resource efficiency standard for products and set tighter restrictions in the UK (UK resource and Waste Strategy https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/resources-and-waste-strategy-for-england) – do BEAMA members think this is necessary and would we support the UK Government in doing so, or could variation between UK and EU standards make trading costly and expensive
- What is the environmental and human health risk from e-waste? How significant is it and who is most at risk?
- How can secondary markets for electrical goods be improved? What incentives are required to implement these markets?
- Why does recovering materials from electronic waste pose a significant challenge? What support is required to facilitate the adoption of recovery technologies?
UK’s Electronic Waste Sector
- Are UK Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) collection targets achievable? What challenges do UK producer compliance schemes and WEEE reprocessors face in meeting the collection targets?
Compliance and enforcement
- What causes fraud in the UK’s e-waste system? How can this be addressed?
- What action can the UK Government take to prevent to the illegal export of e-waste to the developing world?
- What proposals does the UK Government need to consider as part of its consultation on WEEE?
Enhance resource for enforcement of the existing regulations.
- Is UK public awareness of e-waste recycling satisfactory? If not, how can it be improved?
BEAMA will be responding to this via the Joint Trade Association. To help us collate our position we want your feedback on the questions above. please email any comments to [email protected] by the 5th August.
One of the key points we will be raising in our overall response is compliance and enforcement of existing WEEE regulations as we know this is a key issue for our members, acknowledging that our members spend a lot of money to ensure compliance while there are many that may be getting away with non-compliance. So until we increase and change existing regulation we need more enforcement in the market. This is something we will be pushing for heavily in all our discussions with DEFRA on WEEE.
