With a recovery rate that exceeds 95%
Over 24 thousand tons of waste from electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) managed in 2021 with a recovery rate that exceeds 95%. This is Ecolight’s business data presented in the annual assembly of the consortium. “In an international scenario of great uncertainty, we are all called to an extra responsibility: to implement all the necessary actions to protect our environment and our future more and more – says the president of Ecolight, Walter Camarda – And we can do it by acting correctly for more harvest and better recovery. Secondary raw materials represent and will represent an increasingly important resource that must be ‘cultivated’ from the beginning, that is, by a correct conferment of waste, especially for the WEEE “.
The consortium’s activity has developed along two main lines: first of all, collection from the ecological islands attributed to it by the WEEE Coordination Center. Through the 3,000 collection points served, Ecolight collected more than 23,500 tons of electronic waste. Over 63% of these concerned the WEEE R4 grouping which includes small household appliances and consumer electronics, such as blenders and smartphones.
“Compared to the Italian system, in 2021 Ecolight managed 19% of all the R4 collected and over 40% of the R5, that is, the energy-saving lamps and neon no longer working, thus confirming its position of reference for these groups” adds Camarda.
The second guideline is represented by the attention paid to the Distribution. The law attributes an important role to retailers of electronic equipment in the collection of WEEE: by virtue of the principle of One against One, it is in fact possible to deliver the old equipment to the retailer when one of equivalent functionality is purchased (for example, in case of replacement of the refrigerator or television) regardless of how they are sold. The One versus Zero principle, on the other hand, only affects small electronic waste: these can be left in the store without any obligation to purchase. The reference is to lamps, mobile phones, mice, chargers.
Ecolight, through its service company Ecolight Servizi, provided the service to 3,250 points of sale, collecting more than 750 tons of WEEE. In addition, the consortium is also active with a proximity collection service with the EcoIsole for small WEEE: through 32 automated containers located near large sales structures and, thanks to the collaboration with Amsa-A2A Group and the Municipality of Milan, 25 tons of technological waste were managed in correspondence with eight Municipalities of the Lombard capital.
“The issue of WEEE, however, requires a greater commitment on the part of everyone. The possibility of enhancing recovery depends above all on a correct conferment of the waste. And electronic waste must be conferred separately – concludes the president of Ecolight – The commitment of the consortium continues in the direction of ensuring greater respect for the environment; an objective in which all 2,100 companies that adhere to Ecolight are involved “.
