EUROPEAN WEEE RECYCLING STANDARD What will the EU WEEELABEX Standard require of Global Recyclers?

Julie-Ann Adams, Managing Director of Really Green Credentials Ltd took to the stage at the World Recycling Forum in Guangzhou, China, in November 2012 to give a presentation on the European WEEELABEX Treatment Standard and what this meant to global recycling organisations.

WEEELABEX is run by the WEEE Forum in co-operation with stakeholders from the producers’ community and WEEE treatment industry to improve the quality of the WEEE collection and treatment chain and ensuring a level playing field.

WEEELABEX Operators will be audited annually to ensure that their handling and processes meet the Standard and will need to work with their downstream partners to verify efficiencies and traceability for each material output to the end-of-waste status; recovery or recycling or disposal outlet.

Whilst this may be straightforward for recyclers within the European Union, waste brokers and end-processors outside of the EU - such as for plastics; circuit boards; mixed material fractions etc. will need to provide independent evidence of their ability to meet local and national legislation and of their recovery or recycling achievements (batch tests etc.) and including further onward downstream treatment partners if they only handle part of a process.

Promote your credentials! Work with WEEELABEX approved Operators to ensure your incoming product routes and outgoing markets are sustainable.

Really Green Credentials can assist companies in achieving independent approval - please contact us for details. info@rgcuk.com

The World Recycling Forum event was organised and hosted by the ICM AG, Switzerland and attended by representatives from Government organisations; WEEE treatment facilities and Producers from across China, India, USA, EU; Japan, Korea and Australia and New Zealand.

Photo courtesy of the ICM AG www.icm.ch