Waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) collection rate

In 2020, the collection rate of WEEE in the EU27 was 45.9 %, which is still lower than target defined in the WEEE Directive (65%).

The WEEE collection rate - calculated as the weight of WEEE collected in the reference year relative to the average weight of EEE placed on the market (POM) in the three preceding years increased from 37% to 47% between 2011 and 2017. After a slight decrease in 2018 (46.8%), followed by an increase in 2019 (48.3%), this ratio dropped to 45.9 % in 2020.

This EU-wide collection rate is lower than the 2019 target defined in the WEEE Directive for separate collection of 65% of EEE POM. Despite the overall increase in the amount of WEEE collected, the decreasing trend in the WEEE collection rate in 2020 is related to a faster increase of EEE placed on the market in previous years than WEEE collected. This confirms the observation that EU member states struggle to reach their collection targets. The main bottlenecks in reaching the targets are considered to be mixing of WEEE with metal scrap, disposal in residual waste, unreported export out of the EU, recycling under non-compliant conditions and export for reuse. Another important bottleneck is the large stock of used EEE and WEEE stored or hoarded in households, businesses and organizations before being discarded [2]. Indeed, according to a survey conducted in more than 8000 European households, 13% of them keep their WEEE because of “emotional attachment” [5].

Waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) is known to be one of the fastest growing waste streams in the world. Due to the presence of harmful additives and dangerous substances, inadequate WEEE management can pose substantial risks to both the environment and human health. Furthermore, WEEE is an important source of secondary raw materials for the EU as it contains many precious, critical and strategic materials as well as other base metals. As such, monitoring the quantities and improvements in collection and management systems of these types of waste is essential [3].

In Europe, the majority of WEEE is regulated by the WEEE Directive (2012/19/EU) [1]. The Directive introduces two methods for the calculation of WEEE collection rates, the “WEEE Generated Method” and the “EEE POM method”. The EU Member States can annually choose which method to use. In 2019, the Directive, increased the target for WEEE collection rate, using the EEE POM method, to 65% (from 45% in 2016). Among all EU Members States, only Bulgaria, Croatia and Finland have reached this target in 2020 [6].

The formal collection of WEEE usually falls under the requirements of national WEEE legislation, in which WEEE is collected by designated organizations, producers, and/or the government. This happens via retailers, municipal collection points, and/or pick-up services [6].

Additional reading

[1] Directive 2012/19/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 4 July 2012 on waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE)

[2] Baldé, C.P., Iattoni, G., Xu, C., Yamamoto, T., (2021). Update of WEEE Collection Rates, Targets, Flows, and Hoarding. https://www.scycle.info/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Update-of-WEEE-Collection_web_final_nov_29.pdf

[3] Forti V., Baldé C.P., Kuehr R., Bel G. The Global E-waste Monitor (2020): Quantities, flows and the circular economy potential. United Nations University (UNU)/United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) – co-hosted SCYCLE Programme, International Telecommunication Union (ITU) & International Solid Waste Association (ISWA), Bonn/Geneva/Rotterdam. https://ewastemonitor.info/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/GEM_2020_def_july1_low.pdf

[4] European Environment Agency (2019). Reducing loss of resources from waste management is key to strengthening the circular economy in Europe. EEA Briefing no. 8/2019.

[5] WEEE Forum. (2022, October 13). International E-waste Day: Of ~16 Billion Mobile Phones Possessed Worldwide, ~5.3 Billion will Become Waste in 2022 | WEEE Forum. https://weee-forum.org/ws_news/of-16-billion-mobile-phones-possessed-worldwide-5-3-billion-will-become-waste-in-2022/

[6] Eurostat – Statistics Explained, April 2023. Eurostat online publication. https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php?title=Waste_statistics_-_electrical_and_electronic_equipment&oldid=556612#:~:text=In%202020%2C%20the%20collection%20rate,%2C%20i.e.%202017%2D2019)

Definition

WEEE collection rate, using the EEE placed on the market method, shows the ratio between the amount of WEEE collected in the reference year and the average weight of EEE placed on the market in the three preceding years.

Methodology

Raw data on the weight of WEEE collected and the weight of EEE placed on the market were retrieved from Eurostat. Eurostat aggregate data for the EU-27 were used. The EEE categories used for this dataset are in line with the categories set out in WEEE Directive (2012/19/EU). Data on WEEE are reported by the EU Member States for monitoring compliance and establishing data formats for the purposes of Directive 2012/19/EU. The data are available from the reference year (2005) onwards.

Metadata

Data source: Statistical Office of the European Union (Eurostat): https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/ENV_WASELEEOS__custom_7587550/default/table?lang=en

Units: Percentage

Temporal coverage: Annually from 2011.

Geographic coverage: Aggregated EU 27

Waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) collection rate

References and footnotes