Results 2019
In total 151,102 tonnes of WEEE were reported for 2019. These numbers contain the reported numbers from Recupel.
If we look at the waste that was reported directly (exclusive of Recupel) in the BeWeee tool, the result is 28,554 tonnes. So the result of the activities of the vzw BeWeee is about 28,600 tonnes.
Evolution 2017 – 2019: four times more
6,662 tonnes were reported directly in the tool for 2017[1]. A year later this figure is already 20,835 tonnes (2018) and another year later it amounts to 28,554 tonnes (2019). So for the year 2019 four times more waste has been reported than for the year 2017. This evolution clearly shows that BeWeee is effective.
Do we comply with the 65% objective?
For the time being Belgium does not comply with the 65% objective. Although there is still a long way to go, step by step we are getting closer to the 65% objective.
Some major trends
51% of the WEEE that was placed on the Belgian market was collected in 2019. That is 2% more than in 2018 and 5% more than in 2017. Some major trends are to be noted:
- What is placed on the market (POM) increases year after year. This is an international market trend.
- What is taken out of the market (OOM) also increases. With respect to professional equipment we notice a remarkable increase of the collection percentage from 30.6% (2018) to 40.1% (2019). This evolution can be attributed to reporting through BeWeee. 8,628 tonnes of professional WEEE were directly reported in BeWeee for the year 2018. For the year 2019 it has increased to 15,943 tonnes, so almost double the 2018 number!
- Following the implementation of a new European legislation the term ‘open scope’ was introduced in 2018. This means that all products containing an electrical of electronic element are a priori considered to be EEE (electrical and electronic equipment), unless a specific exception is applicable. Solar panels that are placed on the market are therefore also included in the POM numbers. As a result we see a considerable increase of the POM number in 2019. However solar panels have a long life, so they are hardly taken out of the market. Therefore at this moment solar panels will be almost inexistent in the OOM numbers. Result? The collection percentage amounts to 51.4% when solar panels are included in the POM numbers. When solar panels are excluded from the POM numbers the collection percentage amounts to 53.8%.
Can we achieve the 65% objective?
Sure we can! The numbers for the year 2019 show that the collection percentage is increasing. It is however important that all the actors fulfil their reporting obligations. Only if everyone is committed, together we can achieve the European objective.
That is why we are happy to see that for the year 2019 more companies have reported correctly, compared to the year 2018. Thank you for making an effort! We hope that the rest will follow your good example for the reporting of 2020.
[1] Before 2018 reporting was partly realized through OVAM.
In support of:
