WEEE heavyweights call for visible recycling charge

A host of Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) heavyweights have called on the Government to introduce a visible recycling charge on products.

Such a fee would not only help cover the cost of recycling historical WEEE, but it would also create transparency for consumers and mean that costs can’t be added in the supply chain.

The Association of Manufacturers of Domestic Appliances (AMDEA), the Radio, Electrical and Television Retailers Association (RETRA), the Systems Engineering and Management Association (SEAMA), the Local Government Association (LGA) and the Intellect Consumer Electronics Council (ICEC) have all joined forces in lobbying for this Environmental Recycling Charge (ERC).

After what he described as a “very co-operative discussion with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI),” AMDEA chairman Uwe Hanneck said: “The Government is listening to us, which is a positive step. If it wants to create a practical and workable solution however, then the only way forward is to implement an ERC, which is fair to retailers, manufacturers and consumers.”

The newly-formed alliance also believes that such a system would:

-allow consumers to benefit from any reduction in the level of the ERC

-enable local authorities to fund improvements to their collection facilities

-ensure the fee is levelled equally by small and large retailers

-enable retailers to demonstrate their environmental credentials as they do on the energy performance of products.

RETRA chief executive Mark Hayward said: “We want a system that is easy to explain and is applied equally across small and larger retailers. An ERC is less complicated and cheaper for our members, who are often small, family owned affairs. We want to ensure consumers understand what they are paying for and an ERC will do that.”

A similar and hugely successful scheme has already been implemented in the Republic of Ireland (ROI) with WEEE Ireland chief executive Leo Donovan positive about the UK’s ability to replicate the move.

He suggested a visible fee would help educate the consumer on what he was paying for, with stores in the ROI such as B&Q, Argos and Tesco all required to offer guidance posters and information to consumers. This could invariably lead to a greater level of public co-operation.

Hanneck concluded: “We are aware of our responsibilities and our intention is to make it easier to recycle. By making new products 100% recyclable, we hope to eventually bring the cost down to zero.”

Original text is here