E-waste: study proposes overhaul of targets to support circular economy

A new study by Deloitte commissioned by WEEE Forum examines how collection targets for waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) in the EU can be made more meaningful and effective.

The report argues that current targets, based on the weight of WEEE collected compared to the weight of equipment placed-on-market (POM), fail to reflect the real potential for circularity or to incentivise better environmental outcomes.

According to the study, existing targets fail to account for differing product lifespans or the fact that many items remain in households for years before disposal.

The current system also ignores unreported waste streams, such as informal reuse, illegal exports and hoarding, which distort the baseline used for target-setting.

Deloitte proposes a shift from purely weight-based metrics to more dynamic, lifespan-adjusted and product-specific indicators, with additional suggestions to incorporate reuse, preparation for reuse, and incorporating improved data tracking into the performance benchmarks.

The study also calls for targets that better align with the EU’s circular economy and digital product passport ambitions, pushing for more traceability, longer product use, and higher resource efficiency across the entire electronics lifecycle.

It recommends that policymakers revise WEEE targets before the next legislative review to better reflect technological, behavioural and economic realities.

While these are meaningful proposals, the chosen approach and targets should strike the right balance between effectiveness and implementation, avoiding and streamlining overcomplexities.

Shifting away from POM towards other approaches may require building up from a simpler start as industry adapts to new methods.

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