Illegal treatment and disposal of waste
Waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE)
In addition to the recovery targets above-mentioned, the Member States are strongly encouraged to ensure that the above-described system operates efficiently by imposing minimum collection rates:
| Minimum collection rate | ||
| 2006-2015 | 2016-2019 | 2019 and after |
| 4 kg per year (or the same amount as was collected in the three preceding years if superior) | 45% of the average weight placed on the market in the three preceding years | 65% of the average weight placed on the market in the three preceding years or 85% of WEEE generated |
To this end, the Member States shall adopt appropriate measures “to minimise the disposal of WEEE in the form of unsorted municipal waste, to ensure the correct treatment of all collected WEEE and to achieve a high level of separate collection of WEEE” (priority being given to temperature exchange equipment containing ozone-depleting substances and fluorinated greenhouse gases, fluorescent lamps containing mercury, photovoltaic panels and small equipment (Article 5(1)).
Households must be able to dispose of such waste in collection facilities with the necessary availability and accessibility (Article 5(2)). They are informed of their obligations to allow the separate collection of WEEE by the following logo which must be affixed on all EEEs (Article 14 and Annex IX):
The Member States must furthermore see to it that “all separately collected WEEE undergo proper treatment” (Article 8(1)), including at least the removal of all fluids, “selective treatment” consisting in removing from any such separately collected WEEE components including PCBs, batteries, printed circuit boards, toner cartridges, CFC, cables, etc. (Article 8(2) and Annex VII).