Waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) is one of the fastest growing waste streams in EU. According to Eurostat, it is growing 3-5% per year. By its composition, WEEE is a complex mixture, containg hazardous materials, but also a valuable deposition of commercially interesting secondary raw materials.
The project is aimed at conservation of resources through expansion of the company’s core activity. Company ZEOS is a national non-profit WEEE management scheme, with this project they want to divert as much of e-waste as possible back in to use, being it whole appliances or its components. To achieve this goal, the perception of consumers and stakeholders, involved in electronics management chain, must be altered. Raising awareness of local target groups and stakeholders on the concept of circular economy (CE) is an important part of the project, however coupled with implementation of appropriate infrastructure, legislative support and business solutions it has a much bigger effect.
This project was designed together with our partners, Chamber of Commerce and Industry, which through local public utility companies represents a direct line of communication to end users, and a waste collection and transportation company TSD, which will be a partner in establishing a process of preparation for reuse. We also included many other stakeholders to maximize the likelihood of successful project implementation.
We will establish a network of e-equipment collection points at local collection centres, coordinated guidelines for directing this equipment back in to reuse, reuse preparation and refurbishment for spare parts, an online circular economy forum as a junction point for users, manufacturers, service providers, equipment processors, sharing and garage sales promotors with video content for servicing and simple repairs and application for directing users in appliance diagnostics and also links to sales platforms. Another component is production of a mobile repair shop in order to bring repairs closer to the local environment. Besides repairing, its main purpose is to spread awareness of circular economy possibilities, other activities include social networking, information boards, media campaigns, radio, newspaper and Facebook adds, posters, leaflets, a mascot, a press conference and other events. From all this activity we expect certain results, namely 51% of Slovenians informed on CE elements, number of CE product users to octuple, a 340 tonnes per year waste reduction and certain market uptakes in form of start-up business models. We will also participate in the formulation of public environmental policy by proposing to include reuse guidance into legislation.
Continuation of the project will be assured through replications in Czech Republic, Italia and Romania and transfers of the framework to textile and furniture.
Applicant: ZEOS d.o.o.
Partners: Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Slovenia, Chamber of Communal Services; TSD Ltd., collection in transportation of hazardous and non-hazardous waste
Co-sponsors: European Commission through LIFE, Ministry of the Environment and Spatial Planning
Project value: € 2,163,558
European Commission: € 1,189,956
Co-Financing Contribution (MESP): € 447,486
