WEEE, treatment only in certified plants and more audits

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New agreement between the Coordination Centre and sector associations. The goal: guaranteeing national standards.

A unified, homogeneous and high-quality standard for the treatment and recycling of computers, home appliances, smartphones, tablets and any other electronic product, in order to guarantee the respect of the environment as well as that of market rules. This is the goal of the program agreement on WEEE (Waste Electric and Electronic Equipment) treatment, signed by the WEEE Coordination Centre and by Assoraee, Assorecuperi and Assofermet, the Italian associations that represent treatment plants. The agreement will enter into force next month.

This text precedes the emanation of the long-awaited decree implementing the law on optimal management of electric and electronic waste. Its addressees are companies working in the field of home WEEE, which will have to be certified by the WEEE Coordination Centre basing on a specific audit carried out by third-party observers. The certification process will last between one and three years depending on the requisites of each plant. The recycling plants will have to provide an annual report of percentage rates of the composition of each WEEE category on a statistical basis, while the Coordination Centre will have to further develop its portal with specific services for the certified plants.

The collective systems and the consortia taking care of end-of-life electronic equipment, in compliance with the latest agreement and with the rules of the WEEE Coordination Centre, may work with certified plants only.

“This agreement has two goals: the improvement of the WEEE management system in Italy and the protection of the environment. Drawing inspiration from the most advanced European standards, we plan to achieve the WEEE treatment qualitative targets set by the European Union – explains Giancarlo Dezio, president of the WEEE Coordination Centre – The agreement acknowledges the central role of the Coordination Centre in the management of electric and electronic waste. It also represents an important evolution in the relationships between the Collective Systems affiliated with the Coordination Centre and the companies that dispose of the WEEE generated in Italy. The new rules also cover the treatment of WEEE collected in Italy but sent abroad to foreign plants, in order to guarantee an excellent qualitative level no matter where the disposal takes place.”

For more information, visit the website of the WEEE Coordination Centre