The EA has published WEEE data relating to the second quarter of 2012. Comparison with the first two quarters of 2011 show that the collection rate of household WEEE, as a percentage of EEE placed on the market, has dropped from 49% to 47%. Recorded collection rates from the B2B sector remain consistently low showing that most used electrical/electronic equipment from this sector follow other routes rather than through the WEEE recycling system.
One noticeable area of growth has been the reporting of non-obligated tonnage – this is probably reflecting pressure from various quarters to establish actual collection rates of all WEEE in advance of targets under the Recast Directive. There is, however, no obligation for AATFs to advise what is household and what is non-household WEEE.