First Report - Electronic Waste and the Circular Economy

The government notes the Committee's concern about estimates and their reliability, explaining that white goods are often recycled outside the official WEEE system due to scrap metal value, and that estimates minimize business burdens. It acknowledges the importance of understanding these volumes but doesn't commit to specific actions to clarify the system or improve data on treatment quality.

The government notes the committee's concern about substantiated estimates but defends their use, explaining that they are necessary to account for white goods treated outside the formal system and help minimise burdens on businesses.

The government acknowledges the committee's point regarding short-term targets and their impact on long-term planning for WEEE collection. They commit to exploring this issue in depth during a review of current regulations and will seek views and evidence as part of a consultation later this year.

The government acknowledges the committee's recommendation for long-term targets and the case for certainty for businesses and investors. However, they will explore this issue in more depth and seek views as part of a review of current regulations and a consultation later this year.

The government thanks the Committee for highlighting the need for enhanced retailer obligations and parity between online and physical sellers. They confirm this is a key area for reform and will consult on proposals as part of the review of WEEE Regulations, drawing on principles from extended producer responsibility for packaging.

The government acknowledges the need for parity in obligations for online sellers and marketplaces, stating that ongoing work for Extended Producer Responsibility for packaging will inform the review of WEEE Regulations, on which they will consult.

The government acknowledges the need to enhance retailer obligations and ensure parity for online sellers, highlighting this as a key area for reform; they will consult on proposals for these changes as part of the WEEE Regulations review.

The government recognises the importance of robust collection infrastructure, including kerbside collections, and is exploring options for rolling these out. They will consult on these proposals as part of the WEEE Regulations review.

The government agrees on the importance of robust collection infrastructure and is exploring options for kerbside collections and enhanced retailer obligations. They will consult on these options as part of a review of WEEE Regulations later this year.

The government acknowledges the recommendation to enhance retailer obligations and ensure parity for online sellers, stating these principles will form an important part of the upcoming review of WEEE Regulations and will be subject to consultation.

The government acknowledges the need for parity in obligations for online sellers and marketplaces, stating that ongoing work for Extended Producer Responsibility for packaging will inform the review of WEEE Regulations, on which they will consult.

The government thanks the Committee and affirms its commitment to transition to a circular economy, reiterating existing plans and strategies to monitor material consumption and double resource productivity by 2050. They are exploring the possibility of setting a legally-binding target to increase resource productivity.

The government acknowledges the recommendation and is exploring setting a legally-binding target to increase resource productivity under the Environment Bill, stating the target-setting process will review the level of ambition, but does not specifically commit to per capita consumption targets or a sub-target for electronics.

The government agrees there is no place for planned obsolescence and has existing and forthcoming policy measures, including recent consultation on Ecodesign Regulations, to increase product lifetimes and tackle premature obsolescence. They will also explore eco-modulation in WEEE regulations, but do not explicitly confirm they will follow the approach of other countries to ban the practice.

The government acknowledges the committee's conclusion regarding low consumer trust and lack of information, stating it shares the desire to increase product lifetimes. It outlines existing and forthcoming policy measures, including recent ecodesign consultations, and commits to exploring eco-modulation through a future WEEE Regulations review to incentivize more sustainable product design.

The government has consulted on draft Ecodesign Regulations covering consumer information and is committed to supporting greater durability and repairability. They also plan to explore and consult on applying eco-modulation to the WEEE system, but do not commit to mandating specific lifetime or software upgrade labelling or a durable accreditation scheme.

The government agrees on the importance of Ecodesign and consumer information to combat planned obsolescence. They refer to past consultations on Ecodesign Regulations and state they will explore applying eco-modulation principles within the WEEE system review to incentivise better Ecodesign.

The government shares the committee's desire to end planned obsolescence and promote product longevity. They refer to existing Ecodesign Regulations which address durability and repairability, and commit to exploring the application of eco-modulation in the WEEE system, which they will consult on as part of the WEEE Regulations review.

The government has consulted on draft Ecodesign Regulations which include requirements for information on repairs and sourcing, and is committed to supporting greater durability and repairability. They also plan to explore and consult on applying eco-modulation to the WEEE system to incentivize better ecodesign, but do not explicitly commit to enshrining the 'right to repair' in law with all specified enforcements.

The government has consulted on draft Ecodesign Regulations which include requirements for information on repairs and sourcing, and is committed to supporting greater durability and repairability. They also plan to explore and consult on applying eco-modulation to the WEEE system, but do not explicitly commit to enshrining the 'right to repair' in law with all specified enforcements.

The government commits to ensuring consumer safety and intellectual property considerations are taken on board during policy development to support greater durability, repairability, and recyclability of electrical products, and will explore eco-modulation within the WEEE Regulations review.

The government has consulted on draft Ecodesign Regulations, which include requirements for repair information. They are committed to supporting greater durability and repairability, and will explore and consult on applying eco-modulation to the WEEE system to incentivize better ecodesign, but do not explicitly commit to mandating repairability scores or specific rewards.

The government appreciates the rationale for reducing VAT on repairs but explicitly states there are no plans to change the VAT treatment of electronic items at present due to significant fiscal considerations and potential revenue loss.

The government appreciates the rationale for reducing VAT on repairs but states there are no plans to change the VAT treatment of electronic items due to significant revenue implications and fiscal constraints.

The government recognizes the importance of reuse and commits to exploring the feasibility of measures, including reuse targets and modulated financial obligations under the WEEE Regulations, and will consult on policy proposals to this effect.

The government committed in its Resources and Waste Strategy to explore measures for increased reuse in its WEEE Regulations review. It is discussing with stakeholders and will fully explore the role of reuse targets, modulating financial obligations, and other policy proposals, which will be part of a consultation.

The government recognizes the importance of encouraging reuse and commits to fully exploring the potential role of reuse targets, including how they should be defined and monitored, as part of its review of the WEEE Regulations, and will consult on policy proposals.

The government recognises the importance of reuse and committed to exploring the feasibility of measures to encourage it within the WEEE Regulations review. They will fully explore the potential role of reuse targets and consult on policy proposals.

The government commits to exploring the application of eco-modulation within the WEEE system to incentivize manufacturers to design more sustainable, durable, repairable, and recyclable electrical products, and will consult on its practical introduction as part of the WEEE Regulations review.

The government notes concerns about substantiated estimates but states it intends to continue using them, effectively declining to mandate that producers provide specific material information to recyclers with a clear mandatory date as recommended.

The government recognizes the value of a National Materials Datahub but states the project is currently on hold. Discussions are underway to establish future demand and funding options, indicating a deferral of the recommendation to fast-track its implementation by 2023.

The government states it does not have explicit plans to introduce further critical raw material recovery targets. However, they commit to exploring innovation such as product passports and waste tracking to enhance recycling and extraction of high value materials.

The government states existing WEEE Regulations stipulate recycling rates and does not have explicit plans for further critical raw material targets. However, it will explore introducing product passports and waste tracking to enhance the recycling and extraction of high-value materials.

The government states that a shift to higher-quality recycling would require more challenging targets. They note that existing Best Available Treatment (BAT) and Best Available Treatment Recovery and Recycling Techniques (BATRRT) standards are being reviewed, with new enhanced guidance planned for consultation in early 2021.

The government believes its primary goal is to incentivise higher quality recycling methods and will explore whether a longer-term approach to target setting could promote investment in these methods. They do not commit to matching investment in Energy from Waste or explicitly prioritising other methods.

The government notes concerns about the short-term nature of the WEEE system and will explore and consult on a longer-term approach to promote certainty and investment in higher quality recycling methods as part of its WEEE Regulations review.

The government will explore whether a longer-term approach to the WEEE system's annual target setting would provide more certainty and investment, and will consult on such an approach as part of the WEEE Regulations review, rather than immediately mandating longer-term contracts.

The government notes the importance of stimulating recycled materials use and describes existing Ecodesign powers and a Call for Evidence which will inform future policy, also committing to explore eco-modulation of producer financial obligations in the WEEE Regulations review.

The government acknowledges the importance of stimulating recycled material use and is considering a range of policy options, including eco-modulation, through ongoing evidence gathering and a review of the WEEE Regulations.

The government agrees with the serious impact of illegal e-waste exports and is committed to ensuring lawful exports. They discuss regulations and ongoing work by the Basel Convention on e-waste classification and shipment for repair, providing context around the complexities of legitimate and unlawful exports.

The government agrees on the seriousness of illegal e-waste exports, but notes the majority are already high risk and a legislation change would be required to deem all exports as such. They highlight existing POPs regulations and ongoing international work via the Basel Convention.

The government rejects the recommendation to presume electronics are not usable and require testing before export, stating current legislation doesn't allow it and they do not want to restrict legitimate re-use. However, they will explore requirements for and review new guidance on the definition of waste regarding used equipment.

The government states the Environment Agency already uses an intelligence-based approach for enforcement and collects data, with recent legislation changes expected to provide more data on plastic exports. It affirms that robust enforcement will continue when intelligence is gathered and that the EA supports industry initiatives to estimate illegal exports.