If you are reading this, you must be on something electronic - maybe a phone, a laptop or a tablet? Have you ever considered where it will go when you no longer want it? It certainly cannot go into cardboard, plastic or glass recycling bins.
Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) is one of the fastest-growing waste streams worldwide and in Europe. By 2020, more than 12 million tonnes per year of WEEE are expected to be generated in the European Union (EU), compared to nine million tonnes in 2005.
Every year, 1-2 kilograms of WEEE per person is disposed of in standard household waste in the EU rather than being recycled, with considerable variation between countries. This leads to incorrect handling and disposal and can cause acute human health risks, including lung cancer and blood poisoning. Socially vulnerable groups are the most susceptible to harmful exposure – making safe disposal extremely important.
To combat this, EU Member States have decided that, from now on, the total weight of WEEE collected must equal at least 45 per cent of the average weight of the electrical and electronic equipment put on the market in the three preceding years. This target will become more ambitious in 2019.
Electronic waste collection is just one of the many things that the pan-European region is doing to reduce pollution and subsequent health threats – highlighted by the sixth Global Environment Outlook report for the pan-European region. If this interests you, find out more on p. 94-96, 102, and 242-243.
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