Media Release
14th February 2014
European Recycling Platform Celebrates a landmark
Recycling Milestone of 2 Million Tonnes of WEEE
Preventing the emission of a total of 21.7 million tonnes of CO2
equivalent
The European Recycling Platform starts 2014 celebrating having recycled over 2 million
tonnes of WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) since the start of its
operations in Europe. The positive effect of this activity is the equivalent to the removal
of 8 million cars from the road for one year around Europe and has prevented the
emission of 21.7 million tonnes of C02 mostly through the effect of CFC elimination but
also to the recovery of raw materials. This amount can be seen as that needed to lift 8
million hot-air balloons carrying 5 passengers each, nearly the whole population of
Spain!
The process of separating and re-using materials from end of life electrical goods has
multifaceted positive results. Effectively ERP is providing the opportunity to reuse the
earth’s precious resources and has prevented the release of harmful Greenhouse gases
from cooling appliances eliminating 3,000 tonnes of ozone depleting substances.
To mark this important milestone, ERP supported INSEAD (one of the world’s leading
and largest graduate business schools based in Paris) in conducting a study on the future
of extended producer responsibility. The publication of this report also coincides with the
14 February 2014 deadline, which was requiring all Member States to implement the
WEEE Directive Recast. At the moment only few Member States have published the
related local new legislation, while the majority of States are still evaluating how and
when the new compliance requirements and targets will be implemented. This report
provides a timely and interesting view on the future of extended producer responsibility.
To download the report visit: www.erp-recycling.org/news-media/news-events/
“We are delighted with our 2 million tonnes collection achievement to date” said
Umberto Raiteri, President & CEO of ERP Europe. “The life span of Electrical goods has
decreased dramatically, as newer and better versions of products are continually
launched on the market, consumers want to upgrade and obsolete models are discarded.
This continuous cycle presents an ongoing challenge to society to stay ahead of the
amount of WEEE produced. ERP is the only true pan-European compliance scheme,
perfectly positioned to assist communities to cope with the quantities of WEEE and the
industry across Europe to meet the increase in compliance targets in line with
environmental regulations”.
In the process of recycling ERP has:
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•
•
•
saved 9 billion kWh of primary energy equivalent to the power usage in half a
million homes, the whole of Luxembourg, for a year
collected the equivalent weight of 250,000 elephants; 45,455 articulated
trucks; and about the weight of 3,500 fully loaded Airbus380s, the biggest
passenger airplane in use
recovered 16 tonnes of gold, 130 tonnes of silver and 60,000 tonnes of copper.
These metals are then reused to produce new electrical appliances, instead of
being extracted from mines. To extract one ounce of gold 1 tonne of rock needs
to be destroyed while an open pit gold mine uses up to 900,000 litres of water a
day
collected 26 million TVs, 45 million small domestic appliances, 11.5 million large
domestic appliances and 8 million cold electrical appliances. Lining up 26 million
TV sets would cover 70,000 km, the equivalent distance of the proposed new
cycle routes across Europe see: www.eurovelo.org/routes/
In effect and in line with the European Union's Waste Electronic and Electrical (WEEE)
Directive, the mission of ERP is to ensure cost-effective implementation of the WEEE
Directive, for the benefit of member companies, their customers, the consumers and
ultimately for the environment and society.
The European Recycling Platform (ERP) recently announced details of its EuropePlus
Package ensuring electrical device producers and importers are best placed to meet their
compliance obligations as industry braces itself for the transposition of the WEEE
Directive recast before the February 2014 deadline. ERP is the only true pan-European
compliance scheme, trusted by over 2,400 members across Europe, and now with the
extension and enhancement of its EuropePlus Package it is first to the market offering its
Europe-wide compliance expertise for WEEE and Batteries.
(Ends)
About ERP
The European Recycling Platform was set up in December 2002 in response to the introduction of
the European Union’s Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive. ERP’s mission is
to ensure cost effective implementation of the directive, for the benefit of the participating
companies and their customers. This is achieved through innovative waste management strategies
and by encouraging national implementation of the directive according to a set of core principles,
fundamental to the protection of consumers and business, as well as the environment.
ERP is the first WEEE compliance scheme authorised to operate in the following countries Austria,
Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Netherlands (partnering with WEEE NL),
Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Turkey and the UK and thus the first scheme to pass on
the advantages of multinational recycling operations to the consumer. ERP has proved to be the
most competitive solution for companies in the countries where it has started to operate, now
offering WEEE, Batteries, Packaging and PV panels compliance services and know-how.
For
more
information
on
ERP,
please
[email protected]
visit
www.erp-recycling.org
or
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