The Environment Agency published data on the volume of household WEEE collected for recycling from January to March 2021 earlier this month.
Despite collection figures being behind where they were in the same quarter of last year, the data was described as ‘pleasantly surprising’ considering the challenges faced by the industry during the first three months of the year.
The Environment Agency has set a target for compliance schemes to collect 503,629 tonnes of household WEEE in 2021. This is an increase of around 9% from the 460,134 tonne target of 2020. Offering the first indication of how schemes are progressing this year, the first quarter data shows a total of 119,818 tonnes of WEEE was collected between January and March 2021. This means that 23.8% of the overall target has been achieved in the first quarter of the year.
The collection data of large household appliances and display equipment was particularly positive, with 47,535 and 9,849 tonnes respectively collected between January and March. Small household appliances and gas discharge lamp collection figures are, however, behind where they need to be, with 7,433 and 861 tonnes collected so far. This means that these particular categories sit at just 21.5% and 20.8% of the respective target tonnages for 2021.