The article describes approaches, measures and regulation structures for the export of used electrical/electronic equipment and waste electrical/electronic equipment to non-EU countries. It aims at optimizing the protection of the environment and resource flows. Emphasis is placed on exports via the Port of Hamburg. The export of the equipment types investigated in non-EU countries took place exclusively as second hand equipment. Notified waste exports of such equipment are not known. The German Foreign Trade Statistics embrace a part of the actual exports. However, statistics do not differentiate between used and new goods. The total quantity of the exports extrapolated within the framework of the investigation, in 2008 lay between 93’000 Mg and 216’000 Mg. The specific value of the exports (€/kg) lies significantly below the value of the exports within the EU States. The equipment originates from a multiplicity of sources (in all >4’000 sources), in part from private end users, in part from commercial sources and partially from the waste regime. Private collection and reloading points represent one of the most important pivotal points for the export of low-value equipment. In the destination countries the equipment encounter recovery and disposal structures, which are not suitable to ensure the protection of human health and the environment as well as the extensive recovery of resources. Through this, several hundred of kilos of precious metals and rare earths are lost from the economic cycle. The elaborated measures for the optimization of material flows cover short-term measures (amendment of the WEEE Directive, export controls, information of the public, obligation of manufacturers and re-marketing firms, return logistics) as well as mediumterm measures (modification of the foreign trade statistics, improvement of the situation in the destination countries).
Waste, hazardous – Waste Electric and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) – Waste shipment – Product stewardship – Recycling |