Q3 WEEE collections figures show UK could miss target

When reflecting on how we are doing against what we would expect at this point of the year the picture is clear – we are behind. Of the 466.5k tonnes that we would have liked to have been recycled at this point in the year, the UK has recycled 404k tonnes – a shortfall of 62.5k tonnes of WEEE that we will need to find in the remaining quarter of the year.

As you can see from the graph below, showing 75% (Q1-Q3) of the UK’s annual target against the actual recycling figures, this shortfall is seen across all of the WEEE Categories. This is with the exception of Photovoltaic Panels, which has already hit target, as we have started to see an increase of these products coming to the end of life and being replaced.

With nearly 218k tonnes of WEEE still left to collect and recycle - we will need to see a bumper Q4, with recycling rates higher that we have ever seen to ensure that the country hits the set targets. However, the reality is, the UK as a whole is likely not to reach the EA targets.

Nationwide, the Producer Compliance Schemes (PCS) will be scrambling to find this shortfall of WEEE. For some PCSs, it simply won’t be possible to bridge the gap – and will find themselves having to use their Compliance Fees to ensure compliance.

Ecosurety’s commercial manager Robbie Staniforth commented “These figures really demonstrate that market conditions have been difficult, and shows to what extent other schemes have been struggling to find their recycling evidence”. 

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