Q2 UK WEEE Compliance Data for 2026

September 17th, 2026

Q2 UK WEEE Data for 2026:

The Environment Agency published the Q2 2026 UK WEEE data on September 1st 2026. The data shows that EEE POM volumes continue to increase – particularly for smaller items now that OMP producers are required to report their POM data.

The WEEE collection data also shows growth in Q2 2026, but most of the WEEE streams continue to fall short in progress to the UK targets after quarter 2.

EEE placed on the UK market (POM)

The table below demonstrates that over 33,880 tonnes more EEE was placed on the UK market (POM) in Q2 2026 when comparing against the same period last year (Q2 2025).

There were increases across all other streams; Large Household Appliances (Category 1) increased by 7% (over 9,200 tonnes), Display Equipment (Category 11) increased by 5% (over 900 tonnes) and there was a significant increase in Cooling Appliances (Category 12), which increased by 22% (over 11,400 tonnes).

There was also a significant increase (over 19,800 tonnes) across categories 2-10, resulting in a 15% increase overall. The increase across these categories is considered to be largely a result of online market places (OMPs) now being required to report the EEE POM for non-UK sellers on their platforms.

The Q2 2026 POM data shows a sharp increase in quarter 2 volumes, and the highest Q2 POM volume on record.

The charts below compare the volumes of EEE placed onto the UK market for each stream in quarter 2 over the last four years (2023, 2024, 2025 and 2026).

WEEE collected

As the table below demonstrates, there was a 2% increase overall between the total WEEE collection volumes in Q2 2026 when comparing against Q2 2025, by over 2,800 tonnes

Similar to what the Q1 2026 data showed, the overall increase is predominantly due to collections of Large Household Appliances (Category 1), which increased by 5% (over 1,900 tonnes), and Small Mixed WEEE (Categories 2-10), which increased by 4% (over 1,500 tonnes).

The only stream of note to decrease in Q2 2026 from this time last year was Cooling Appliances (Category 12), which decreased by 3% (over 900 tonnes). The picture is quite complex – with Local Authority/DCF collections down by 3.75% (nearly 770 tonnes) and Regulation 50 collections (WEEE from private households) down by 23% (nearly 800 tonnes). The only collection route that increased was Regulation 43 collections (Distributor Returns), which increased by 5.7%, (nearly 650 tonnes). This picture is not surprising, given major retailers offering free take back on fridges through the hot summer (more volume through this route, less through others). However, the overall volume decline results from the widely publicised fridge recycling capacity issues the UK has faced since the closure of the Unimetals business (site in Newport) as well as technology issues at EMR’s Darlaston site. As a result, many discarded fridges are reported to be still in storage and are yet to be recycled and reported.

Q2 WEEE collection volumes have been steadily increasing over the last few years, and Q2 2026 is the highest quarter 2 volume collected since Q2 2018

The charts below compare the volumes of WEEE collected for each stream in quarter 2 over the last four years (2023, 2024, 2025 and 2026).

Outlook for the compliance year

When looking at the Q2 2026 collection volumes against the collection targets for 2026, this demonstrates that only one of the collection streams is currently on track; Large Household Appliances (Category 1).

When looking at the Q2 2026 collection volumes against the collection targets for 2026, this demonstrates that only one of the collection streams is currently on track; Large Household Appliances (Category 1). As is it was after the Q1 2026 UK data was published, all other streams have still got some catching up to do over the next two quarters. For fridges it already seems unlikely that the target will be met – with implications for the operation of the 2026 WEEE Compliance Fee and also WEEE targets for 2027 if significant volumes remain in storage. ERP UK and other schemes are working with local authorities, government, the agencies and recyclers to manage the challenges at local as well as national levels.

Photovoltaic Panels (Category 14) are notoriously variable – being significantly impacted by recycling of panels from solar farm upgrade projects.

Collections of Vapes & E-Cigarettes in the new WEEE category (Category 15) will be reported from 12th August 2026, and therefore, volumes should start to appear within the Q3 2026 data, published early December.