European industry launches new online platform on how to best recycle electronic waste

DIGITALEUROPE and CECED, jointly with the WEEE Forum, an international association of producer responsibility organisations and a centre of competence, are launching today a common online platform – the Information for Recyclers Platform (I4R). This new platform will allow recyclers to access information about the presence and location of materials and components that need separate treatment . The WEEE Forum will host and maintain the platform.

“We wish to drive solutions to this problem, and the I4R platform is key to better inform managers in the recycling industry and to train workers on safety issues”, said Cecilia Bonefeld-Dahl, DIGITALEUROPE’s Director General. “By providing information at product group level, the I4R platform will help recyclers to optimise sorting where applicable”, she added.

“The added value of the I4R platform will not only benefit recyclers and the industry, but also all European citizens. It is another example of industries working together to contribute to a Circular Society, this time by supporting recycling and secondary raw material recovery” CECED’s Director-General, Paolo Falcioni emphasised.

“The I4R platform is a major step forward in improving treatment processes, and of compliance in general”, says Pascal Leroy, Secretary General at the WEEE Forum. “Easily accessible information about the presence of batteries, printed circuit boards or plastics containing brominated flame retardants in e-waste is what recyclers require”.

Background

Article 15 of Directive 2012/19/EU on Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) requires producers of electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) to provide information free of charge about preparation for re-use and treatment for each type of EEE placed on the market. In 2005 CECED and DIGITALEUROPE, speaking for manufacturers of home appliances and ICT / consumer electronics, and the electronics recyclers at EERA reached an agreement on the format of this information. Since then, manufacturers have been collecting the information in a harmonized reporting format for each product on their website. Today, they are launching a common online platform.