5 April 2007

Environment

WEEE Regulations

Ciarán Cuffe asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the action which is being taken regarding products returned for recycling under the WEEE regulations; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government  (Mr. Roche):

The WEEE scheme came into effect in August 2005 and has been a remarkable success.

In the first 12 months of operation, 27,700 tonnes of household WEEE was collected. This represents approximately 2.3 million electrical and electronic products or 6.7kg per inhabitant, surpassing the EU target of 4kg per person set for the end of 2008. This contrasts to the 5,510 tonnes of this waste type which was recovered in 2004 and indicates widespread public support for the scheme.

Under the terms of the WEEE Directive, financing the recycling of electrical and electronic equipment is solely a producer responsibility. Two collective compliance schemes, functioning under the responsibility of producers, are operating in Ireland. These compliance schemes, WEEE Ireland and the European Recycling Platform, are responsible for the recycling of all household WEEE deposited at designated collection points. These include civic amenity facilities and retail outlets.

The compliance schemes are also responsible for ensuring that recovered WEEE is recycled in an environmentally sound manner and for putting in place tracking and auditing systems for materials recovery in line with the requirements of the Directive.

An increasing proportion of this WEEE is now recycled in Ireland following the establishment of three new WEEE recycling and treatment facilities since August 2005.