stiftung ear reports: Amount of collected WEEE decreased for the first time in 2022

stiftung ear has recently published the Annual Statistics Communication again. This data is reported annually to the Federal Environment Agency by stiftung ear and combined with data from surveys by the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) for reporting to the EU Commission in accordance with Article 16 (5) of the WEEE Directive.

Compared to the previous year, stiftung ear registers lower figures for the collection of WEEE. This is the result of the evaluation of the annual statistics bulletins. Last year, a quantity of just under 0.95 million tonnes of WEEE was collected and reported to stiftung ear. Compared to the year 2021, this means a decrease of 120,000 t (11.33 %). 

Lower collection volumes have already been reported in other European countries for the years 2022 and 2021. This development is attributed to a change in consumer behaviour after the end of the pandemic and the general economic situation.

At the same time, the amount of new electrical and electronic equipment on the market is increasing

Whether smartphone, laptop or refrigerator - electrical appliances make our everyday life easier and bring comfort into our lives. Especially in the area of consumer electronics, household appliances and photovoltaic modules, more and more products are being offered. This increase will continue in 2022. Thus, a total of 3.26 million tonnes of appliances were placed on the market according to the ElektroG (input). This means an increase of approx. 170,000 t compared to the previous year. Compared to 2012, a doubling (84%) of the input can even be observed. 

The decrease in the quantity of WEEE reported to stiftung ear, with a simultaneous increase in input, will probably have a negative impact on the collection rate. The collection rate itself will be announced by the Federal Environment Agency.

High proportion of successfully submitted Annual Statistical Reports (JSM) is positive

In recent years, the number of those required to report under the ElektroG has increased sharply. This is particularly true for the area of manufacturers. Whereas at the beginning of 2020 there were around 20,000 manufacturers registered with stiftung ear, by the end of 2022 there were around 40,000. Despite these new notifications, the proportion of successfully submitted JSM has continued to rise. Overall, a good level of participation can be observed across all reporting parties. The stiftung ear intends to further promote this trend with various measures in the area of digitalisation and communication.