WEEE Directive 2002/96/EC and Estonian legislation

1. WEEE Directive 2002/96/EC and Estonian legislation 28.05.2008 Malle Piirsoo Estonian Ministry of the Environment malle.piirsoo@envir.ee

2. The WEEE Directive is transposed into Estonian legislation through: • Waste Act • 2 Regulations of Government: 1) Register of Products of Concern; 2) EEE categories, requirements for returning WEEE, targets etc. • 1 Regulation of Environmental Minister: requirements for treatment of WEEE • http://www.envir.ee/257237 (in English) • http://proto.envir.ee (Register)

3. General requirements for producer (1): • Producer is required to ensure the collection, recycling, recovery or disposal of waste resulting from products of concern manufactured, resold or imported thereby (which are put on the market after 13th August 2005) and shall have a sufficient guarantee for these obligations. • Guarantee can be 1) participation in collective schemes, 2) recycling insurance or 3) closed bank account.

4. General requirements for producer (2): • Producer must bear all costs of collection and treatment of WEEE. • Producers have also obligation to collect and treat all WEEE resulting from EEE put on the market before 13th August 2005 (so called historical waste). • Costs of historical waste shall be divided between these producers who are in market now in proportion to their market share (by categories).

5. General requirements for producer (3): • * Producer shall set out the following information on electrical and electronic equipment intended for distribution: • 1) data which identify the producer; • 2) a separate collection mark by standard EVS-EN 50419:2006 • * That information must be clearly legible, indelible and visible until the equipment turns into waste.

6. General requirements for producer (4): * Retailers of EEE intended for household use shall take such waste free of charge on a one-to-one basis as long as the equipment is of equivalent type and has fulfilled the same functions as the supplied equipment. * If there are no facilities for collection of WEEE within the radius of 10 km, retailers shall take all WEEE free of charge as long as the equipment is of equivalent type and has fulfilled the same functions as the supplied equipment.

7. General requirements for producer (5): * Producer has to register in Register of Product of Concern and introduce data to Register. * Into the Register of Product of Concern must register all producers who manufacture, import or resell EEE and their (spare) parts, motor vehicles and their (spare) parts, tyres, batteries and accumulators. * There is 3 ways to submit application: 1) through Internet, 2) digitally signed via e-mail or 3) signed on paper.

8. General requirements for producer (6): * There is no fee for registration. * Producer who are located permanently outside Estonia cannot register directly in Register. * Producer has 2 possibilities: 1) make branch or office in Estonia or 2) to be a member of some appropriate collective schemes.

9. Future amendments regarding WEEE: * New Governmental Regulation for Register of Products of Concern. Draft isn't available yet. * New Governmental Regulation for collection of WEEE, targets, etc. Draft isn't available yet. * New Regulation of Minister of Environment for marking EEE. Draft isn't available yet. * These 3 Regulations will replace existing regulations * Amendments for Waste Act. Drafting is in progress.

10. Thank you!