Electronic Waste (WEEE) Management in the EU: A Practical Guide

Certain companies importing, manufacturing, and selling electronics for sale in the EU must comply with the obligation of the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive. More specifically, such companies must contribute to the waste management of e-waste.

In this guide, we explain what you must know about registration, reporting, and collection requirements under the WEEE Directive. We also list electronic waste management organisations in various EU member states that can help you get started.

Do importers and manufacturers need to pay for electronic waste?

According to Article 12 of the WEEE Directive, importers and manufacturers are financially responsible for the collection, treatment, and recovery of their waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE). In general, they can work with an electronic waste management company that can help them to comply with these obligations, in exchange for a fee.

Additionally, member states should ensure that producers – which include manufacturers, importers, and non-EU-based companies – are responsible for covering the costs of collecting, treating, recovering, and disposing of their WEEE.

Requirements for importers and manufacturers

Producers, which include importers and manufacturers, should:

a. Set up WEEE recovery systems, or become a paying member of an existing WEEE collective compliance scheme that does this for them

b. Separately collect WEEE, or join and pay a waste management company to do it for them

c. Be financially responsible for collecting, treating, recycling, and recovering WEEE, or join and pay an existing collective compliance scheme to meet their obligations

d. Register themselves in the member state where they sell their products

e. Report the information set out in Annex X

f. Affix the separate collection symbol (a crossed-out wheeled bin) to their EEE or its packaging

Requirements for non-EU companies

Companies not based in the EU that sell electronics online directly to consumers in an EU member state are also considered producers. Thus, non-EU companies should comply with the WEEE directive requirements.

How much does it cost?

The cost depends on the country, the product type and the quantity of products that you sell. Additionally, waste management companies sometimes require you to pay an annual membership fee as well. Below we list some cost examples from companies in different countries.

Germany

• Product: heat exchanger
• Quantity of brands: 1
• Weight: 250 kg
• Price per calendar year, plus VAT: 399.90 Euro

France

• Product: washing machine
• WEEE category: 4
• Price: 10.5 Euro per unit

The Netherlands

• Product: refrigerated vending machine
• Price: 0.60 Euro per kg

Do we need to register in each EU member state?

Article 16 of the WEEE Directive sets registration requirements. Specifically, producers should register with the relevant national authorities of the EU member state where they sell their products. This applies to producers that are based in the EU, as well as producers that are not based in the EU, but that sell online to consumers in the EU.

Producers that are not registered in the state where they are selling their product, can also choose to register via their authorised representative. Many waste management companies offer authorised representatives and registration services.

For example, both German (in the EU) and Chinese (non-EU) producers selling or distributing their equipment to consumers in Poland should register with Poland’s Ministry of the Environment, or have an authorised representative in Poland.

Reporting requirements

According to Article 16 of the WEEE Directive, the producer should submit a report within 18 months of the end of each reporting period. The report should include the information listed in Annex X, which includes the following data:

a. National identification code

b. Reporting period

c. Category of EEE as indicated in Annex I or III, as appropriate

d. Quantity, by weight, of EEE sold

e. Quantity, by weight, of waste EEE that they have separately collected, recycled, recovered, and disposed of in the Member State, or transported within or outside the EU

Collection requirements

As explained in Article 12 of the WEEE Directive, producers are responsible for financing the collection and recovery of their products. They can, however, become a paying member of an existing WEEE collective compliance scheme in the EU and have said scheme collects, and recover their EEE.

Some of these schemes, or waste management companies, require producers to pay an annual membership fee, on top of a fee per item or kg of collected products.

List of Electronic Waste Management Companies in the EU

Here we list some examples of electronic waste management companies in different EU countries.

Methodology: We have selected companies from several countries based on the WEEE services they offer (e.g. registration, and collection). We have also prioritised companies with English-language websites.

Germany

Supportive recycling GmbH

Located in Bochum, Supportive Recycling GmbH was founded in 2006 and has a permit to collect and treat WEEE. The company documents all steps taken during the recycling process, and provides their customers with their required documentation.

They list the following certificates on their website:

• Waste Management Certificate (Efb)
• ISO 9001
• ISO 14001

Services

• Collection and transportation of WEEE
• Processing and treatment of WEEE (dismantling and disassembling)
• Sorting and separation of WEEE
• Component and product recycling of WEEE
• Re-distribution, refurbishment, re-marketing of WEEE
• Precious metal recovery and refining from WEEE
• On-site material inspection of WEEE
• WEEE consulting

HQ location: Bochum, Germany

Interzero

Headquartered in Berlin, Interzero has 32 branches across eight EU Member States (e.g. Austria, Poland). Apart from sales and offices, these branches are responsible for sorting, processing and managing waste EEE. Interzero also has washing depots and counting centres.

The company has a price calculator on their website, where you can see how much their WEEE services would cost.

1. Select the country your company is based in

2. Input the quantity of EEE and annual forecast (in kg) per category

3. Refer to the price at the bottom of the page

Here are some of Interzero’s certificates:

• DIN EN ISO 9001
• DIN EN ISO 14001
• DIN EN ISO 50001
• DIN ISO 45001

Services

• Producer registration and notification service
• Take-back system
• Information service for producers and sellers
• Digital management of producer obligations

HQ location: Berlin, Germany

France

EcoLogic

EcoLogic is a state-approved non-profit organisation that manages the collection and recycling of end-of-life or used products, as well as electrical and electronic equipment.

The company’s website outlines the steps on how you can join EcoLogic, which can be done online. Before you start your online registration, prepare your administrative information, key contacts, and information regarding the types of products you sell, such as heat exchange equipment, lamps, and photovoltaic panels.

Here are some examples of EcoLogic’s certifications:

• ISO 9001
• ISO 14001

Services

• Registration on SYDEREP, the register of the French Agency for Ecological Transition
• Declare products sold
• Repair, re-use, and recycling
• Waste management (collection, control, and traceability)

HQ location: Guyancourt, France

Soren

Soren is an eco-organisation that collects and treats used photovoltaic panels in France. The company has 5 processing sites and has collected over 27,000 tons of photovoltaic panels since 2015.

Soren helps producers ensure that their products sold in France comply with the laws, such as the WEEE Directive. The company can also handle registration and reporting responsibilities for producers.

According to their website, Soren is ISO 9001 and ISO 14001-certified.

Services

• Panel collection
• Recycling
• Reuse and repurposing

HQ location: Paris, France

Italy

Cobat RAEE

Cobat RAEE is an Italian consortium that manages, collects, and recycles WEEE. The consortium has 30 years of experience turning end-of-life EEE into raw materials and managing technological waste.

They provide their members with personalised services regarding collecting, treating, and recycling WEEE. Cobat RAEE helps companies to develop sustainably to benefit the environment and the national economy.

The consortium also lists on the Italian version of their website the eco-contributions, in Euro per piece, for existing members and new members.

Here are some examples of their accolades:

• UNI EN ISO 9001
• UNI EN ISO 14001
• WEEELabex

Services

• Collection
• Recovery
• Storage
• Treatment
• Recycling

HQ location: Rome, Italy

Erion WEEE

Erion WEEE is a non-profit producer responsibility organisation and compliance scheme that manages and collects household and professional WEEE. The company is also a part of the European Extended Producer Responsibility Collective Systems. They provide members with a certificate of membership that confirms their compliance with the requirements regarding end-of-life EEE.

Erion WEEE has managed 232,023 tons of household WEEE in 2023.

According to Erion WEEE’s website, the company has different financing models that depend on the type of EEE. Members should also pay a fixed annual fee to cover administrative and assistance costs.

The company is registered in the National Register of Environmental Managers, Category 8. Here are some examples of it’s certifications:

• UNI EN ISO 9001
• UNI EN ISO 14001

Services

• WEEE registration
• WEEE collection
• WEEE treatment
• Regulatory compliance and support

HQ location: Milan, Italy

The Netherlands

Stichting-OPEN

Stichting-OPEN is a Dutch producer responsibility organisation for e-waste that carries out the WEEE producer responsibilities for companies selling in The Netherlands. The company has a network of 13,000 collection points.

Stichting-OPEN has links on its website for those who want to register as producers of electrical equipment and batteries. They state on their website that producers should join the OPEN Foundation when they first sell a product. The company also lists their waste management fees on their website.

Services

• Registration
• Collection
• Recycling
• Education (Wecycle campaigns)
• Reporting

HQ location: Zoetermeer, the Netherlands

Spain

Ecolec

Ecolec Waste Hub provides environmental extended producer responsibility services and aims to help producers comply with their obligations regarding waste control.

In 2022, the company has managed more than 110 million kg of domestic WEEE and more than 7 million kg of professional WEEE. They have met 31,177 collection requests, have 3,367 collection points, 35 logistics operators, and 80 waste management facilities.

They can help producers manage:

• Waste electrical and electronic equipment
• Waste batteries, accumulators, and rechargeable batteries

Here are some of Ecolec’s accolades and certifications:

• UNE EN ISO 9001
• UNE EN ISO 14001
• LOPD-audited
• CONFEMETAL member
• WEEELogic partner
• UN Global Compact member
• Global Reporting Initiative Community member

Services

• Registration
• Declaration
• Separate waste collection
• WEEE management

HQ location: Madrid, Spain

Ecotic

Ecotic is a non-profit WEEE management organisation and has three sub-entities for managing three types of waste:

• Fundación ECOTIC, which manages WEEE
• ECOTIC Clima, which manages air conditioning equipment
• ECOTIC Envases, which manages packaging waste

The company contributes to:

• Countering WEEE Illegal Trade (CWIT) project
• WEEE Europe
• WEEE Forum
• High Technology Waste Treatment (HTWT) project

In 2023, the company had managed over 121,000 tons of domestic and professional WEEE. Distributors can register as collection point for free, and can use the EcoticIT platform to trace waste.

Services

• Collection systems management
• Waste treatment and control
• Registration
• Information to the Integrated Industrial Registry (RII-AEE) regarding WEEE
• Production declaration
• Compliance with device-reuse requirements

HQ location: Barcelona, Spain

Sweden

El-Kretsen

El-Kretsen, a non-profit organisation, was founded in 2001 to facilitate the recycling process and help producers fulfil their responsibilities.

The company is dedicated to doing so by considering five factors, each of which comprises several services. Here are those factors, with a few examples of related services:

• Producer responsibility – advice and consultation; reporting to the Swedish authorities
• Collection – 600 recycling centres, 30 recycling facilities
• Transport – uses licensed transport companies to transport WEEE
• Reuse/recycling – recovers material from collected WEEE in pre-treatment facilities
• New materials – recovers around 75% of collected waste, and returns 100,000 tons of material to the manufacturing industry

According to their website, El-Kretsen has ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certifications.

Services

• Collection
• Transportation
• Recycling
• Recovery

HQ location: Stockholm, Sweden

Recipo

Founded in Sweden, Recipo owns a recycling plant that specialises in collecting and recycling WEEE and plastics from electronics. You have to pay an annual administration fee and a fee per unit sold, which is based on your reported sales.

You also should pay a supervisory fee to the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency. Note that Recipo doesn’t provide the exact fees on their page, but you can use their registration enquiry form to ask about the prices you have to pay.

According to their website, Recipo has ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and ISO 45001 certifications. They also cooperate with the following organisations:

• WEEE Forum
• EE-&Batteriregistret
• Batteriåtervinningen

Services

• Registration
• Collection
• Recycling
• Producer responsibility
• Financial guarantees
• Authorised representative

HQ location: Stockholm, Sweden

Denmark

Elretur

Founded in 2005, Elretur is a non-profit producer responsibility organisation in Denmark and helps producers handle obligations regarding WEEE.

They claim to collect and treat around 80% of the WEEE from Denmark’s recycling centres. In 2021, the company has collected over 57,000 tons of WEEE.

Elretur has a fixed annual membership fee. You should pay the environmental contribution fee to the Danish Environmental Protection Agency’s producer register. This environmental contribution is based on the products, and how many of those products, you sell.

Services

• Handles WEEE responsibilities
• Takes back WEEE
• Registration
• Recycling
• Returning electric devices
• Disposal
• Treatment
• Collection
• Processing
• Reporting

HQ location: Taastrup, Denmark