Dual Use – for a fairer WEEE system

The Government has announced that it intends to implement ‘dual use’ in WEEE recycling.  The key change will be to classify products likely to be used by both businesses and consumers as household. The effect of this change is to further improve the WEEE legislation, requiring a greater proportion of producers to take responsibility for their fair share of WEEE recycling.

The new ‘dual use’ definition will come into effect from January 2015 for declarations, which will then be reflected in revised collection targets in 2016, to allow Producer Compliance Schemes, producers and treatment facility operators, time to adjust to the changes.

At Recolight, we believe this to be a very positive step which will make lamp recycling more sustainable in the long term. We think it is the correct legal interpretation of the UK’s 2013 WEEE regulations, which already include the ‘dual use’ clause in the definition of Household WEEE. At the same time, we also think it is fair. It creates a more level playing field, with a greater proportion of producers funding their share of household recycling.

For too long, consumers have been funding some business WEEE recycling. This change corrects that imbalance.

The timing also makes sense. To collect producer EEE data in 2015 in time for implementation in 2016 gives us all the chance to get the classification right. There was no easy solution to making the change, but this approach should make implementation relatively smooth.