The revised Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive 2012/19/EU (WEEE (recast)) was published in the Official Journal of the European Union on July 24, 2012, and entered into force 20 days after its publication. All EU member states were required to transpose it into their domestic law by February 14, 2014. The relevant revisions are as follows:
1. Scope of regulation:
The revised WEEE Directive plans to reclassify electrical and electronic equipment into six categories (Annex 3) starting August 15, 2018. During the transition period from August 13, 2012 to August 14, 2018, the product categories and scope regulated remain the same as the original WEEE Directive. The revised WEEE Directive covers all types of electrical and electronic equipment (unless excluded from items listed in Article 2 (3) and (4) of the Directive). Furthermore, a new category, solar panels, has been added to Category 4 of Annex 2.
2. Categorized Collection:
Distributors should provide free sorting and recycling services for small electronic and electrical products (with an external size not exceeding 25 cm) near the point of sale or in retail stores. Furthermore, consumers are not obligated to purchase electronic and electrical equipment of the same type in order to be eligible for recycling.
3. 回收率(Collection Rate)：
Member states must achieve a minimum recycling rate annually. Four years after the new directive comes into effect, the minimum recycling rate will be 45%. Three years after that, it should reach 65% of the total amount of electrical and electronic equipment sold on the market, or 85% of the electrical and electronic equipment recycled within a member state.
4. Recycling and Regeneration Goals:
The new directive divides the achievement of the targets into three phases. Member States must ensure that producers meet the minimum targets set forth in Annex V after 15 August 2018. Taking Category 2 small household appliances, Category 5 of the new directive as an example, it includes musical instruments, toys, and leisure and sports equipment (with dimensions not exceeding 50 cm).
- Phase 1: From the effective date of the directive (August 13, 2012) to three years later (August 14, 2015), the recycling rate should reach 50%, and the recovery rate should reach 70%.
- Phase Two: From August 15, 2015 to 3 years later (August 14, 2018), the reuse rate should reach 55%, and the recycling rate should reach 75%.
- Phase 3: Starting from August 15, 2018, the reuse and recycling rate should reach 55%, and the recycling rate should reach 75%.
5. Annex 6 of the new directive clearly outlines the transport requirements for shipments to Europe.
