EU WEEE Recycling Standard What will the WEEELABEX Standard require

of Global Recyclers?

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With the financial support of the LIFE Programme of the European

Community

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• Outline of the WEEELABEX Standard

• Summary of the treatment requirements

• The role of the Global Recycler

Responsible processing –

where did it start?

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In 2008 the WEEE Forum commenced a major project, WEEELABEX, co-financed by the EU’s LIFE programme, aiming at laying down a set of European standards with respect to the collection, sorting, storage, transportation, preparation for re-use, processing and disposal of all kinds of WEEE. The world’s first coherent, comprehensive and continental set of standards, approved by the WEEE Forum in April 2011, covers all 10 WEEE categories and directly affects all parties involved in the WEEE chain of operations. WEEELABEX will change the WEEE landscape substantially and for good. See www.weee-forum.org/weeelabexproject .

Who is involved?

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WEEE

Producers

WEEE take-back parties (schemes

Regulators

Collection/logistic operators

Exporters

WEEE treatment operators

National Governments

Consumers

Retailers

Distributors

Municipalities

Producers

Key stakeholders

Treatment Operators

and Recyclers

Producers

Municipal Authorities

WEEE systems

National Governments

and NGOs

5 NGOs = Non-Governmental Organisations

WEEE Forum membership Amb3E

Appliances Recycling

Asekol

Asekol SK

Ecodom

Ecoasimelec

Ecofimática

Ecolec

EcoLogic

Ecoped

Eco-RAEE's

ecoR’it

Eco-systèmes

Ecotic

Eco Tic

ElectroCoord

ElektroEko

Elektrowin

El Kretsen

el retur

elretur

Envidom

Fotokiklosi

EEPA

ICT Milieu

Lightcycle

Lumicom

RAEcycle

Recupel

Recicla Canaria

Re.Media

Repic

Retela

RoRec

SENS

SLRS

SWICO

UFH

WEEE Ireland

Wecycle

Zeos

2002-2011: 8,000,000t WEEE

collected (the equivalent of 800

Eiffel Towers high).

2011: 2,000,000t WEEE collected

and properly reported

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The Objectives

Environmental objective

Improving quality of WEEE chain

Business objective

Levelling the playing field

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Levelling the playing field

One set of contractual

requirements rather than a

patchwork of many

different ones.

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WEEELABEX standards

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Standards package

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Collection • Forward

• Introduction

• Contents

• Scope

• Terms &

definitions

• Administrative

requirements

• Technical

requirements

Logistics • Forward

• Introduction

• Contents

• Scope

• Terms &

definitions

• Administrative

requirements

• Technical

requirements

Standards’ architecture

Flat panel displays

CRT

Lamps

Cooling

Treatment • Forward

• Introduction

• Contents

• Scope

• Terms &

definitions

• Administrative

requirements

• Technical

requirements

Annex

• De-pollution guidelines

• De-pollution monitoring

• Batches

• Recycling & recovery quota

• Legal compliance

• Management principals

• Technical & infrastructural conditions

• Training

• Downstream monitoring

• Preparation for re-use

• Shipments

• Handling

• Storage

• De-pollution

• De-pollution monitoring

• Further treatment

• Storage of fractions

• Recycling & Recovery

• Disposal of fractions

• Documentation 11

• Legal compliance

• Management principals

• Technical & infrastructural conditions

• Training

• Downstream monitoring

• Preparation for re-use

• Shipments

• Handling

• Storage

• De-pollution

• De-pollution monitoring

• Further treatment

• Storage of fractions

• Recycling & Recovery

• Disposal of fractions

• Documentation

Requirements

(a) Hold the necessary permits applying to all

the activities undertaken at the site

Legal compliance:

(b) Have a method to record compliance

(c) Have a method to identify legal requirements and keep them updated

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Requirements

(a) Have a management system in place

• e.g. EMS; ISOs etc.

Management principles:

(b) Demonstrate continuous improvement

• ISO documents; improvement registers etc.

(c) Demonstrate how updates are made and how activities are monitored

• Minutes of review meetings; actions planned

and undertaken etc.

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Requirements

Have a process in place to track the dispatch of fractions and components from

WEEE :

• Quantity of materials and components dispatched

• Weigh tickets; transfer notes; shipping documentation

• Name of logistics operator / carrier

• Date of dispatch and destination facility

• Records of site permits / downstream process

• Evidence of recycling and recovery achievements

Documentation:

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Depollution monitoring

Monitoring of de-pollution performance shall be determined by one or several of the three following methodologies: 1. Quantification of the outgoing stream and comparison with a target

value or assessment of progress • Limit values still being compiled by WEEELABEX technical experts • Do you do your own batch testing / developing protocols?

2. Establishment of a mass balance between incoming and outgoing streams

• Per WEEE category

3. Analysis of representative samples of relevant fractions from treatment of de-polluted WEEE.

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Operator 2nd Step

Operator

Recycler

Disposal facility

Information flow concerning

legal compliance and

compliance with the standard

Downstream monitoring

Waste material flow

traceability

ISO9001 and 14011 provide assurance as regards operating procedures, environmental

monitoring and statutory compliance. WEEELABEX puts in place requirements to test the

supply chain management and to demonstrate attainment of recycling efficiencies of the

process employed.

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Recycling and recovery

WEEE Categories Minimum

Target

1- Large Domestic Appliances 80%

2- Small Domestic Appliances 70%

3- IT and Tel Com Equipment 75%

4- Consumer Equipment 75%

5- Lighting 70%

6- Electrical & Electronic Tools 70%

7- Toys, Sports & Leisure Equip 70%

8- Medical Devices t-b-a

9- Monitoring.& Control Equip 70%

10- Auto Dispensers 80%

Cooling Appliances 80%

Display Units 75%

Gas Lamps 70%

WEEELABEX Operators will have to provide evidence to Auditors to show they meet these targets (as a minimum) during the audit.

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Aluminium

Copper

Iron

Plastic

PUR Compressors

Cables

Oil

Mercury Switches

VFC/VHC gases

Capacitors Salts/solutions Dust

Output fractions from VHC/VFC containing equipment

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Recycling and recovery

Flowcharts:

Recycling/Recovery - 87.22% Incineration – 0.48% Disposal – 12.3%

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Pool of WEEELABEX auditors

WEEELABEX auditors will

undergo specific training

and use the WEEELABEX

audit process documents

and tools.

Auditor A

Auditor B

Auditor C

Auditor D

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Recycling and recovery

Specific requirements:

CRT Display Appliances (televisions and PC monitors)

Flat Panel Display Appliances (televisions, PC monitors; laptop screens etc.)

Lamps

Temperature Exchange Equipment (cooling appliances; tumble dryers with F Gas etc.)

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Plastics Circuit Boards

Glass from CRTs

Hard drives And other

components

Recycling and recovery

Annex C (Requirements concerning batches)

Sets out the process – including:

• The rates of input material • Processing to be at the normal daily through-put rate • Empty all containers before starting (inc. shredder housing) • Weighing all output materials • Calculation of achievements • Documentation to include data sources

…. to the end of waste status

Annex D (Determination of recycling & recovery rates)

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What is the final treatment for this compressors (operator,

treatment type and location)? (4.5.1/4.7.2)

So you transfer waste across border, Have you identified all

the applicable legislation applicable to the shipment? (4.1.2)

The fraction accounts for greater than 20% - can you

provide the evidence of batch testing undertaken at the end-

destination facility? (5.7.3)

Can you show me how you have calculated the recycling

and recovery achievement? (5.7.5)

Can you show me the last load bill of lading and waste

transport document and reports determining the recycling

and recovery rate? (5.9.1)

How long are the compressors stored

here? Is this an impermeable surface?

(5.6.2)

What do you do with the removed oil

(5.3.2)? May I see the permit of the

operators that treats the oil (5.9.1)?

AUDIT TRAILS?

What kind of treatment were they

subjected to (5.3.1)?

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Listing of WEEELABEX operators

Operator A Facility 1

Facility 2

Operator B

Facility 1

Facility 2

Facility 3

Operator C Facility 1

Operator D

Facility 1

Facility 2

Facility 3

Facility 4

Subject to trademark agreement

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Summary of requirements for

Global Recyclers

• Examine your own treatment process • Can you provide evidence of product and

documentary control? • Can you provide evidence of treatment and

end-of-waste recycling/recovery?

• Ensure your own compliance with local / national legislation • Do you have a register of all legal compliance? • Have you got an improvement register with

actions that can be checked and verified?

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• Get advice on how to help your clients comply with the WEEELABEX requirements

• Carry out your own internal compliance audits and batch tests

• Maintain evidence of recycling and recovery achievements

• Monitor your outputs and markets • Engage an independent auditor

• Promote your credentials!

• Work with WEEELABEX approved Operators to ensure your incoming product routes and outgoing markets are sustainable

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info@rgcuk.com

Really Green Credentials Ltd

www.reallygreencredentials.com

WEEE FORUM

www.weee-forum.org