In support of the WEEE Directive

Recolight supports the WEEE Directive

The recast of the WEEE directive was at long last published in the Official Journal this month.  It has taken over four years to prepare. Recolight strongly supports many of the changes it introduces – particularly the increased member state collection targets.  It is not yet clear how these will be cascaded within the UK.

However, by 2016, it is likely that the industry will need to collect 45% of the average weight of lamps put on the market over the previous three years.  That will probably be a significant increase from current levels.  This will be challenging, but should be achievable.

It is also likely that larger electrical retailers will need to start collecting CFLs.

Government is committed to reducing Lamps Producer costs

The main issue now, is how the UK will transpose the directive into national regulations.  The current regulations have been widely criticised for increasing costs to Producers.  The Government, through its Red Tape Challenge has committed itself to tackling those costs.  The key change needed to deliver against this commitment, is for the new regulations to give direct, free of charge access to the waste that Producer Compliance Schemes are required to fund.

Wherever there is no direct access, there will inevitably be increased costs to Producers, as intermediary mark-ups are incorporated into final costs.

The Government has until 14 February 2014 to bring regulations into force that will implement the new directive.  What is clear is that the next 18 months will be crucial in determining the cost efficiency of WEEE in the UK.