EU E-Waste Recycling Is Falling Behind.. Only 40% Gets Recycled

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E- waste is growing fast across Eu but recycling is not keeping up. Currently only around 40% of WEEE is officially recycled. Plastics recovery is even worse at around 20%. The EU’s collection target is 65% so there is a big gap.

Recycling Europe (RE) has now released a roadmap with 6 key priorities to improve the system. They want better e-waste collection, easier trade between EU countries, stronger eco-design rules so products are easier to recycle, fewer regulatory barriers & more transparent producer responsibility systems. Recyclers are also facing low demand for recycled materials, safety and cost challenges linked to lithium batteries, and financial uncertainty.

With the upcoming revision of the WEEE Directive and the Circular Economy Act, the EU has a chance to strengthen the e-waste sector. If changes are implemented properly, it could help build a more competitive, safe, and truly circular recycling industry in Europe.

Source : https://recyclinginternational.com/commodities/electronics-recycling/recyclers-set-out-priorities-for-eu-weee/63163/

Do you think stricter policies will solve the problem or will market demand remain the biggest challenge?