UK – trial to establish waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) protocols

Defra have published protocols for determinig the amount of WEEE for each category when a mixed load of WEEE is delivered to Approved Authorised Treatment Facilities. The research carried out through the CIWM EB looked at the average category breakdown from hand sorting of mixed WEEE loads derived from a number of Civic Amenity sites.



The project objectives were to derive Protocols to assist in the recording and reporting of WEEE recycling and recovery in the UK and for those materials exported overseas. To achieve this, the category make up of small mixed WEEE, arising from Civic Amenity sites, was determined. A compositional profile for each category was measured and, using both of these data sets, an average mixed WEEE composition was derived.



The trial involved the hand sorting of 125 tonnes, made up from 16,401 individual items, of small mixed WEEE (SMW). The items were segregated into 10 categories, provided in the WEEE Regulations, and counted and weighed. Each segregated SMW category was homogenised by processing through a WEEE plant or a shredder/fragmentiser. Samples of the mixed output streams from these processes were handsorted to characterise and determine their compositions.



The Category Protocol values of SMW were:





10.3% – Category 1

19.9% – Category 2

22.7% – Category 3

22.2% – Category 4

2.0% – Category 5 – this household source is to be included as Non -WEEE

10% – Category 6

0.3% – Category 7

0.7% – Category 9

12% – Non-WEEE and unallocated



The Composition Protocol values for SMW were:





47.1% – Metals

30.8% – Plastic

2.1% – Printed Circuit Board

6.1% – Other materials

14% – Non-WEEE and unallocated



The protocols help simplify the recording and processing requirements of the AATF. Different recycling recovery targets have been set for different categories. The protocols allow the calculation of a weighted average for the relative recycling rates of each category present within SMW. Without the protocol, segregation of SMW materials prior to processing would be required to provide the same information breakdown.



Trials were undertaken to establish the typical category breakdown of mixed WEEE arising from Civic Amenity (CA) sites. Categories 2, 3, 4 and 6 were also processed through a WEEE processing plant in order to establish the proportions of metal, plastic and other materials within each category.



The compositions of category 1 large white goods, category 2 small items, category 3 CRTs (IT monitors) and category 4 CRTs (televisions) were also determined through separate trials. The average composition of fridges was compiled using data obtained from 5 fridge processors.



Using the trial data, the following protocols have been developed: a protocol based on the proportions of WEEE categories within mixed WEEE loads (category protocol, CP), protocols based on the proportions of metals, plastics and other materials within each WEEE category present within a typical mixed WEEE load (categories 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 9).



Separate protocols are provided for large white goods, fridges, CRTs (category 3) and CRTs (category 4). a protocol for a typical load of mixed WEEE based on the proportion of metals, plastics, other materials and PCB within each category (Small Mixed WEEE Protocol, SMW) The protocols are capable of demonstrating how much WEEE has been received at reprocessors or exporters for recycling, whether received by the AATF as an individual category or as a comingled load with other wastes such as cars or packaging.