Achievement of a 65% collection target for e-waste at risk due to postponement of mandatory issue of e-waste

The effective date of the mandatory issue of e-waste has been postponed to 1 July 2022. This was said today by outgoing State Secretary Mrs Van Veldhoven in response to questions from VVD MP Mr Peter de Groot. He raised the importance of a rapid introduction of the mandatory issue during a debate on the circular economy. The delay is a setback for producers. The introduction of the mandatory issue is essential for the achievement of the 65 per cent statutory collection obligation for e-waste. It helps close the greatest leakage flow – illegal processing – because it obliges collection parties and traders who receive e-waste from consumers or commercial disposers to hand it over to CENELEC-certified processors for processing. Making voluntary agreements on this with illegal processors is not an option. The OPEN Foundation therefore advocates the swift introduction of the mandatory issue.

Recent research by the United Nations University shows that many tonnages of Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) are still leaking into the illegal circuit. Some 27% of e-waste is illegally mixed with scrap metal and not properly processed because it can yield more than certified processing. As a result, hazardous substances are not removed and raw materials are lost. The government recognises this problem and is therefore introducing an mandatory issue. The effective date was actually scheduled for 1 January 2022, but has now been postponed because it is related to the Environmental Management Act. The government needs more leeway to complete this legislative process, according to a government statement. The resigning State Secretary Mrs Van Veldhoven intends to use the postponement to talk to the parties involved in implementing the mandatory issue about the details of the scheme. The OPEN Foundation is looking forward to the invitation.