Weee: from waste to resources

Around the world, electrical and electronic devices – large and small – are increasingly present in people's daily lives.

The expansion of consumer technology has led, in recent decades, to an exponential increase in WEEE, i.e. waste from Electrical and Electronic Equipment, because unfortunately all these products have a life cycle of only a few years, at most ten. If they are not disposed of correctly, they risk being a source of pollution for the environment; it is also necessary to deal with the waste of economic resources and raw materials which involves very frequent replacements of obsolete or broken models.

Two remedies: have them repaired as soon as possible or take them in accordance with the law, to the retailer or to the collection centers made available in the various Municipalities, so that the still valid components can be reused. In terms of WEEE, the Italian model is evolving thanks to the laws, but also to trade associations and consortia.

The WEEE legislation provides for the free delivery or collection of old electrical appliances by the retailer. When these are small, there is no obligation to purchase a new product.

With the decree in force since 22 July 2016 (121/2016) the "One against zero" formula to all electrical and electronic equipment, even if no longer functional, with a maximum external dimension of 25 cm: therefore mobile phones, tablets and smartphones, hair dryers, razors and other small appliances. These devices they can be delivered free of charge to points of sale with a surface area of more than 400 m2 who have theobligation to collect them without the citizen having to buy other similar products. WEEE must be a resource of the circular economy chain, which Italy is embarking on with great determination. The "One Against One" decree is in force on large appliances (DL 65/2010) which obliges the retailer, large or small, to collect used equipment free of charge against the purchase of a new equivalent product.

 

The objective of the collection, recycling and recovery deriving from WEEE is set by European and national legislation at 45% starting from 2016. From 2019 the goal set by European directive 2012/19 is from 65%. The calculation is made as the ratio between the total weight of WEEE collected in a given year in an EU state and the average weight of electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) placed on the market in the same state in the previous three years.

In 2017, the per capita collection figure for waste from electrical and electronic equipment stood at 4.0 kg per inhabitant/year, a slightly higher value than in 2016 (3.9 kg per inhabitant/year). At the macro-geographical area level, it can be noted that in the North the quantity collected (5.0 kg per inhabitant/year) is higher than the national average, in the Center it is 4.2 kg while in the South it is only 2.5 kg.   

Compared to the target set by the European directive, in the Ispra Report we read: “As regards the separate collection of urban waste only, calculating the percentage as the ratio between the total weight of WEEE intercepted in 2017 and the average weight of the so-called domestic EEE placed on the market in the previous three years (see article 14 of the legislative decree of 14 March 2014, n. 49) a value equal to 31.2% is obtained, against a target of 45%.” 

(Source: ISPRA report 2018 on municipal waste)

Appliances that have reached the end of their life cycle must always be disposed of in a separate way: to avoid damage to the environment and to allow for the recycling of the components

Whether large or small, household appliances and other electrical and electronic devices must never be thrown into the bins of unsorted waste or other materials. The citizen has two possibilities: he can deliver them directly to the "ecological islands", i.e. the collection centers of the Municipality of residence, or book the collection at home; for the methods, refer to the Municipality website.

In some cities, the traveling dumpster. In Milan, the WEEE parking project was carried out in collaboration with the Ecolight Consortium, Amsa and the patronage of the Municipality. In the first 10 months of the initiative, between 2016 and 2017, it was possible to collect more than 13 tons of electronic waste with over 4,700 deliveries.

Correctly disposed of WEEE are collected by the reference consortia which are responsible for recovering the components and eliminating any harmful substances.

It should be remembered that once conferred, WEEE are classified as waste and by law can no longer be taken by private individuals, but only by consortia that deal with disposal and recycling.

WEEE are classified according to type: R1 (refrigerators and air conditioners), R2 (washing machines and dishwashers), R3 (televisions and computers), R4 (small household appliances), R5 (light sources).

Let's not forget that the different types of lighting fixtures are also part of the WEEE: old light bulbs should therefore not be thrown away in unsorted waste but disposed of separately. They can be brought by large-scale retailers who generally have special containers divided according to the type of device (incandescent, fluorescent, LED). Special sites for the disposal of light bulbs are also available at the waste collection points available to citizens in the Municipalities of residence. Since the collection rules may be different depending on the locality, it is always advisable to find out about the website of your municipality or the municipal company responsible for waste collection.

Electrical appliances contain heavy metals and potentially toxic substances: for this reason they must be disposed of separately

ecodom It is the largest Italian consortium for the recovery and recycling of household appliances. It is a private, non-profit consortium which also deals with the management of waste from batteries and accumulators; consists of the main manufacturers of large household appliances, hoods and water heaters operating in the Italian market (www.ecodom-consorzio.it/)

Ecolight It was born in 2004 for the management of WEEE, Batteries and Accumulators. From the Consortium's 2016 Social Report it emerges that Ecolight has managed over 23,000 tons of WEEE and of these, more than 17,000 are small household appliances, smartphone tablets and consumer electronics that are no longer functional. In the 2017 Social Report, published in 2018, Ecolight declares an increase of 5.7% of WEEE managed compared to the previous year and among these, small appliances represent 65% of the entire collection activity during the reference year. (https://ecolight.it/)

Ecolamp It is the Consortium that collects and recycles lighting equipment, born in 2004 by the will of the main national and international companies in the lighting sector of the Italian market. In the first 6 months of 2017, in Italy the Consortium collected, managed and sent for correct treatment 1,593 tons of WEEE; of these, 687 tons. are WEEE of the R4 group: consumer electronics and small appliances (smartphones, tablets, electric razors and much more) that have reached the end of their life. In Lombardy alone, 232 tons were collected. of WEEE R5 (fluorescent lamps, neon tubes and LEDs) which, usable in new productions, correspond to a recovery rate that exceeds 97%; about 75% is glass (www.ecolamp.it).

After years in which the tendency to replace faulty appliances had prevailed, especially if they were already outdated, today fixing is once again topical.
Before they become WEEE, i.e. waste, the repair of household appliances - when possible - represents an ethical choice that involves a high saving of resources, both individually and collectively. But how can you be sure that you are contacting qualified technicians? In the various locations, each company refers to a network of authorized service centres. There are also trade associations that bring together repairers. In Turin ARE, the Association of Appliance and TV Repairers, was born 20 years ago with the aim of protecting a niche category against too many improvised, incorrect and irregular operators. “In a short time the members became more than 100 – explains the president Lorenzo Bellachioma – We managed to make colleagues ready to help each other those who were previously potential competitors. In collaboration with the CCIAA (Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Crafts and Agriculture) of Turin, we clarified the prices to be applied and in 1999 we published the first guideline of indicative prices; over the years we have revised and improved it. Three have been and are the main objectives of the association:
1. Safety of repairs carried out in a workmanlike manner;
2. Repair Warranty;
3. Transparency on applied prices, labor costs and spare parts. Over the years, ARE has organized training courses and conferences to support its members from a fiscal and regulatory point of view. The Association is part of the National Confederation of Handicrafts of Turin.

When is it convenient?
How far is it worth repairing? “In the last 20 years – continues Bellachioma – one of the producers' objectives has been energy saving, but also water and detergent savings. Slowly consumption decreases and just over 10 years ago the State promoted a campaign to encourage the replacement of old ones with new products of classes no lower than A and A+. Repairing an appliance more than 10 years old is nonsense and harmful to the environment; fixing a high-end model that has been in use for less time is convenient, and often with a not excessive expense you can continue to use it for a long time to come. With low-end products it is different and repair is not always a good choice. Our job is to repair but we have to be honest with the consumer and when it's not worth it, we have to say it".

 

 

Source: www.cosedicasa.com