Projects - E-waste

• To deliver an up to date threat assessment that identifies how effectively the WEEE Directive is being implemented in Member States and the risks e-waste exports pose to the EU
• To understand the scope and scale of the e-waste export trade in Europe, who is involved and what happens to shipments leaving Europe and what the problems are that occur in the countries of destination
• To develop and provide to IMPEL TFS members...

This project aimed to:

• Establish contacts in key African countries with Competent Authorities (focus on West Africa);
• Assess current situation regarding (illegal) imports from the EU, enforcement structures, treatment possibilities, problematic waste streams and import restrictions;
• Agree on how to deal with verification requests and detected illegal shipments and their return.

Current information suggests that with increased turnover of electrical goods by consumers, few ‘bring back’ schemes yet to ensure compliance with the WEEE Directive and relatively high costs of recovery and recycling in member states compared to export for ‘recycling’ or insufficient capacity for recovery and recycling in some member state countries it is believed that compliance with the WSR is poor with illegal shipments of WEEE being exported out of Europe...