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The UK is set to miss the waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) collection target for 2022, say producer compliance schemes.
The shortfall is believed to have resulted, in part, from a reduced amount of equipment placed on the market during the economic downturn.
“The total household WEEE collections to Q3 2022 are 69% of the 2022 target, or 7% below the pro-rata target,” said Louise Grantham, Repic chief executive.
Third-quarter data showed total household WEEE collections stood at 118,267.6 tonnes, with the total for January-September this year at 355,160.4 tonnes. The target for 2022 was set by Defra at 511,377 tonnes.
Grantham said Q4 collections were normally the lowest in the year, “so it currently seems unlikely the targets will be met, particularly with the impact the cost of living crisis has had, and is expected to continue to have, on the amount of equipment placed on the market”.
Louisa Goodfellow, policy adviser at compliance scheme Ecosurety, said it seemed inevitable the UK would miss its WEEE collection targets for the sixth year and that the compliance fee would be used.
“Although it is hard to pinpoint exactly why less than 70% of the target has been achieved by Q3, it is likely partly due to current inflationary pressures and energy prices affecting transport and treatment costs,” said Goodfellow.
“Furthermore, the increased cost of living on consumers can already be seen in this year’s lowered placed-on-market figures, so it makes sense that the availability and collection of goods such as large household appliances has followed suit.”
Grantham said there was no direct link between the amount of equipment placed on the market and the amount of WEEE collected, but householders had become more cautious in both their spending and disposal decisions.
“If compliance schemes are unable to meet their targets through collection, a compliance fee methodology that reflects the impact of the current very difficult market conditions will be important if we are to avoid undue financial burden on producers and, ultimately, the consumer,” she said, addding that the proposed methodology from the Joint Trade Associations included a cost of living adjustment which “meets this requirement well”.
Grantham noted the largest collection shortfall had arisen in cooling appliances, at 69% of the annual target, large household appliances (67%) and photovoltaic panels (66%). Only display equipment was ahead of the pro-rata target, and then only by 3%.
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