EUROPEAN COMMISSION
EUROSTAT
Directorate E: Sectoral and regional statistics
E-2: Environmental Statistics and Accounts; Sustainable Development
Country specific notes on Waste Electrical and Electronic
Equipment (WEEE)
Revision December 2015
General notes:
(1) This paper provides additional background information on specific aspects like
methodology for data collection and related changes in methodology.
(2) Compliance or non-compliance with targets of the WEEE directive or the failure
to submit data at all or in parts (missing obligatory cells) is not addressed.
(3) The amount of WEEE collected from other sources than private households is
(with the exemption Norway) far below the WEEE collected from HH (see
Annex 1 and 2). Currently no targets are in force for WEEE collection from
other sources than private households. Therefore, reporting countries spend
little attention on validating these data, and the amount and / or methodology
may change from year to year.
(4) Several Counties stress the issue that not all producers and importers report
the volume put on the market from, for instance, internet trade, trade with
used goods or other free riders. Not all countries mention this problem, but it is
apparently a general issue. The effects are more relevant for smaller countries.
(5) For some categories, countries and years, the amount of WEEE treated exceeds
the amount collected. In most cases the excess is limited and reportedly caused
either by stock effects or by specific collection campaigns, collecting
“historical” WEEE.
(6) Before 2011, some countries calculated the recovery, recycling and reuse rates
using the total collected amount (#4) as denominator instead of the (total)
treated amount (#5+#6+#7). However, this had only minor effects as the
magnitude of the amounts “collected” and “treated” is quite similar.
(7) The Commission Decision 2005/369 on formats for reporting on WEEE
mentions the cell for recovery of gas discharge lamps (Table 2, Column 1 and 2
for the product category 5a) as “n/a”, and no recovery target is established in
the WEEE Directive 2002/96/EC. Therefore no entries for this cell are possible
from 2011 to 2012. For 2011 to 2012 the recycling and reuse volume for gas
discharge lamps is considered a proxy for the respective recovery for
1
calculating the total recovery for all product categories. DE, LT, FI, SK claim that
some (additional) recovery operations are applied for waste gas discharge
lamps, with the result that the total recovery (for all product categories) should
be slightly higher. Therefore national data for the recovery of gas discharge
lamps might differ slightly from the data published by Eurostat for the
mentioned countries. Since 2013 it is possible to the countries to report on
values for recovery different to the volumes for total recycling and reuse. The
observed deviations are of minor relevance only.
Please consider that the countries below are in protocol order, which is not identical to
the alphabetical order in English.
Belgium:
-/-
Bulgaria:
For 2007 and 2008, the total EEE put on the market is larger than the sum of
categories, because the amounts put on the market were not available for all
categories, but for the total EEE only.
The specific volume put on the market is very low (ø < 7,3 kg per capita for 2009 2013) and at the same time the collection rate (COL / MKT) is very high (ø > 71 % for
2009 - 2013). For some categories the collected volume is much higher than the
volume put on the market. There is relative high evidence that the volume put on the
market is underestimated. BG argues that continuously high amounts of historic waste
and other minor effects cause the mentioned collection rate. In general, such effects
of historic waste should fade out after a certain period.
Czech Republic:
Change in methodology: For the years 2007 and 2008, gas discharge lamps are
considered as subcategory of lighting equipment. Since 2009 gas discharge lamps are
excluded from lighting equipment.
Denmark:
Since 2009, the total collection for consumer equipment is substantially higher than
the amounts put on the market. Denmark argues “that new equipment is developing
towards smaller and lighter models. This results in a lower weight put on market than
collected.” In fact the volume put on the market for consumer equipment halved since
2007, which is different to to other countries. Investigations in effects described in
general note (4) might be of interest.
2
Germany:
For 2011, Germany reports recovery (8 840 t) for Gas discharge lamps on voluntary
basis, being slightly higher than the reuse and recycling amount (8 590 t). Please refer
to general note (7).
For 2012, Germany reports recovery (9 344 t) for Gas discharge lamps on voluntary
basis, being slightly higher than the reuse and recycling amount (9 172). Please refer to
general note (7).
Estonia
-/-
Ireland
-/-
Greece
-/-
Spain
Spain reports a sharp decline of WEEE collected from households from 2008 to 2009.
Possible reasons are: Drop in sales; problems of logistics and financial resource
problems of the largest producer collective system that is responsible for financing the
management of waste from category 1; selective collection (cherry picking) of WEEE
not financed by the collective schemes not covered by the data.
France
-/-
Croatia
Croatia reported to Eurostat on WEEE for first time in 2014. The data for 2011 are not
complete but the coverage increased for 2012. Croatia's accession date is 01/07/2013.
Italy
For 2007 and 2008, the total WEEE amounts exceed the sums by categories, because a
complete breakdown by category was not possible.
3
The Register of Producers in the period 2009-2010 reveals a considerable reduction in
the quantities placed on the market reportedly due to the economic and financial
crisis.
Due to the established national reporting system, Italy is not able to separate the
WEEE categories pursuant to Annex I A. Accordingly, only the totals are reported for
the following columns:

data collected from other sources

data on waste treatment (within the country and abroad)

data on recovery and reuse/recycling
Furthermore, the totals for the treated amounts are much higher than amounts
collected, most likely due to double counts. The data concerning WEEE treated in the
country include the quantities of WEEE sent for preliminary management operations
(R13, D9, D14 and D15) before final recovery/disposal. This means that the data can
include double counts where WEEE undergoes several treatment operations in the
same reference year.
Cyprus
-/-
Latvia
-/-
Lithuania
Please refer to general note (7).
Luxembourg
-/-
Hungary
-/-
Malta
For several categories in 2005 to 2008, the total amounts of WEEE collected are larger
than the sums of WEEE collected from households and other sources, because the
allocation to source was not completely available. Thus, the data on WEEE collected
4
from households and from other sources are incomplete while the figures on total
collection are complete.
Netherlands
Up until 2011, NL reported the amounts put on the market for most categories, partly
in tonnes and partly in numbers. The data are thus not comparable to other countries.
For 2012 NL reports the amounts put on the market in tonnes only and the data are
comparable to other countries. For 2013 a minor amount (estimated by Eurostat being
less than 1% of the total volume) is again reported in numbers.
Up until 2010, NL calculated the treatment rates on the basis of the collected amounts.
As the total collected amount and the total treated amount are identical for most of
the categories, this approach only becomes visible where the both figures deviate. This
is the case for category 5 (2009 and 2010) and category 5a in 2009.
For the calculation of the treatment rates, the amounts of reused whole appliances
(which are included in the total collected and in the total treated) are subtracted from
the total collected. This approach has an impact only for the recovery and
recycling/reuse rates for the category automatic dispensers in 2009 because for other
categories the reuse of whole appliances is zero or very low.
For the years until 2008 the amounts of category 5a are included in category 5. Adding
up those categories results in double counting. NL announced to correct the figures.
Austria
Deviating from the instructions of the Eurostat guidance document, until 2010 Austria
included in the treated quantities the amounts of reused whole appliances. Austria
argues that this is correct because the preparation of reuse is already considered as
treatment. For the calculation of the treatment rates, Austria subtracts the amounts of
reused whole appliances from the total treated, resulting in a calculation that is
compliant with the requirements.
Poland
-/-
Portugal
-/-
Romania
-/5
Slovenia
-/-
Slovakia
Please refer to general note (7).
Finland
Please refer to general note (7).
Sweden
-/-
United Kingdom
No data has been collected for WEEE “Treated in Member State”; “Treated in other
Member States” or “Treated outside of the EU” as the UK has made the assumption
that all WEEE collected as part of their system has been treated in the UK. This is
because the UK regulations, which put in place the system for measuring the recovery
of separately collected WEEE, also limit the export of WEEE to whole appliances for reuse only.
For the data in the column “Treated in Member State”, the UK took the total WEEE
collected and subtracted WEEE reused as a whole appliance.
Since 2010, the UK has not collected “recovery” and “recycling and reuse” data. This is
because there was an amendment to their national legislation in 2010 that changed
the WEEE system. This amendment requires Approved Authorised Treatment Facilities
(AATFs) to meet the minimum recovery and recycling rates as part of their conditions
of approval. This means that the data is no longer required for evidence notes and so
the UK does not collect this data anymore.
As explained above, no recovery rate or reuse and recycling rate has been calculated.
However, as meeting the minimum targets is a condition of becoming an Approved
Authorised Treatment Facility (AATF), UK considers the recycling targets have been
met.
The UK collects data, both for EEE and WEEE, for a category “Display Equipment”
(Called category 11in the UK) and this has been aggregated into Category 3 “IT and
Telecommunications Equipment”. Although UK realises that some Display Equipment
will be TVs from Category 4 “Consumer Equipment”, it is not possible to break down
this figure further. As a result, a small amount of WEEE that belongs into Category 4
“Consumer Equipment” has been reported under Category 3 “IT and
Telecommunications Equipment”. This approach has been used in all previous reports.
Iceland
-/6
Liechtenstein
For the years before 2011, no data are reported for “Put on the market”. Liechtenstein
does not maintain data for “Put on the market”. Liechtenstein explains the situation as
follows: “Liechtenstein does not have a data collection system for EEE sellers in
Liechtenstein. Because Liechtenstein has a customs treaty with Switzerland, there exist
no customs between Switzerland and Liechtenstein and therefore we do not have data
for EEE imports from Switzerland. Data does exist for imports from other countries,
but not by product (e.g. EEE). Another difficulty is that a lot of EEE are bought directly
in Switzerland by private households.”
Since 2012, it has not been possible to transmit the data without also submitting data
for “Put on the market”, therefore Liechtenstein reported that the amount "Put on the
market" equals the amount "collected from private households".
Norway
-/-
7
Annex 1: WEEE collected from private households
TIME
UNIT
WST_OPER
Summe von Value
2010: Composition of COL_HH by waste
18
16
WASTE
14
EE_ATD
EE_MON
12
KG_HAB
EE_MED
EE_TLS
10
EE_EET
EE_GDL
8
EE_LIT
EE_CON
6
EE_ITT
EE_SHA
4
EE_LHA
2
0
BE BG CZ DK DE EE IE EL ES FR IT CY LV LT LU HU MT NL AT PL PT RO SI SK FI SE UK IS LI NO
GEO
TIME
UNIT
WST_OPER
Summe von Value
2013: Composition of COL_HH by waste
18
16
14
WASTE
EE_ATD
12
EE_MON
KG_HAB
EE_MED
EE_TLS
10
EE_EET
EE_GDL
8
EE_LIT
EE_CON
6
EE_ITT
EE_SHA
4
EE_LHA
2
0
BE BG CZ DK DE EE IE EL FR HR IT CY LV LT LU HU MT NL AT PL PT RO SI SK FI SE UK IS LI NO
GEO
8
Annex 2 WEEE collected from other than from private households
TIME
UNIT
WST_OPER
Summe von Value
2010: Composition of COL_OTH by waste
7
6
WASTE
EE_ATD
5
EE_MON
KG_HAB
EE_MED
4
EE_TLS
EE_EET
EE_GDL
3
EE_LIT
EE_CON
EE_ITT
2
EE_SHA
EE_LHA
1
0
BE BG CZ DK DE EE IE EL ES FR IT CY LV LT LU HU MT NL AT PL PT RO SI SK FI SE UK IS LI NO
GEO
TIME
UNIT
WST_OPER
Summe von Value
2013: Composition of COL_OTH by waste
7
6
WASTE
EE_ATD
5
EE_MON
KG_HAB
EE_MED
4
EE_TLS
EE_EET
EE_GDL
3
EE_LIT
EE_CON
EE_ITT
2
EE_SHA
EE_LHA
1
0
BE BG CZ DK DE EE IE EL FR HR IT CY LV LT LU HU MT NL AT PL PT RO SI SK FI SE UK IS NO
GEO
9