Text: Leena Salokoski / NOON Kollektiivi
WEEE producer responsibility is turning 20. Producer responsibility completely transformed the recycling of electrical and electronic equipment: from abandoned refrigerators and televisions we have progressed to a functioning system where consumers return devices free of charge and valuable materials are recovered.
A refrigerator at the end of a forest road, a television at a rest stop, or a microwave oven lying by the roadside. Just over twenty years ago, none of this was unusual. Electrical appliances were dumped wherever they were unlikely to be noticed.
“No wonder, really — recycling electrical and electronic equipment used to be difficult and expensive. The cost varied depending on where in Finland you lived,” says Arto Puumalainen, Managing Director of SER-tuottajayhteisö ry SERTY.
Today, the situation is entirely different. End-of-life electrical and electronic equipment can be returned free of charge to the nearest regional collection point, and small devices can be dropped off at large supermarkets. Through the official SER-kierrätys system, valuable raw materials return to circulation and hazardous substances are directed to proper treatment.
Producer Responsibility is the Driving Force
The turning point came in 2005 when WEEE producer responsibility entered into force across the EU — a milestone now celebrating its 20th anniversary.
The principle of producer responsibility is simple: manufacturers, importers, and companies selling products under their own brand are responsible for the waste management of those products. In practice, companies fulfil their obligations through producer organisations.
“The key point is that recycling works — and it is free and effortless for consumers. The producer organizations operate in the background and ensure that companies’ producer responsibility obligations are met,” Puumalainen summarizes.
In Finland, the collection and recycling of electrical equipment is managed by SER-kierrätys, which is operated by the WEEE producer organizations SER-tuottajayhteisö ry, SELT association, ICT Producers Co-operative -TY, Flip association and ERP Finland.
Cooperation Keeps Recycling Costs Under Control
“Producer responsibility began surprisingly well in Finland, even though the change was huge. Logistics, for example, posed challenges. It is not simple to collect electrical devices from across Finland and transport them to various recycling facilities,” Puumalainen explains.
In the early days, the system was still taking shape, and for a moment it looked like two parallel collection networks might emerge.
“It soon became clear that two separate networks would send costs skyrocketing. Cooperation was strengthened, and a joint SER-kierrätys network was established.”
In 2013, retailers were also required to accept electrical devices. At the same time, the now-familiar SER-kierrätys brand was introduced — along with its green collection containers recognized nationwide. Through these, refrigerators, washing machines, and small electronics all find their way into proper recycling.
“WEEE producer responsibility works thanks to close cooperation between producer organisations and our partners. Without this cooperation, producer responsibility would be much more difficult and expensive for companies,” Puumalainen says.
SER-kierrätys Ensures Efficient Material Recovery
Around 70,000 tonnes of devices reach end-of-life in Finland every year — an average of 12 kilograms per person. The amount is enormous and not showing signs of decreasing.
“We can be proud that not a single device leaves Finland without pre-treatment. The entire collection, transport, and recycling chain takes place in Finland — and mostly manually,” says Tuomas Räsänen, CEO of the service company Elker Oy.
Devices returned to the official SER-kierrätys system always end up in permitted facilities, where up to 90% of the material content can be recovered and reused.
The Collection Rate is a Challenge Across the EU
Despite strong performance, many electrical devices still remain uncollected. The low collection rate of WEEE is a challenge throughout the EU.
Räsänen estimates that over the past twenty years, around one million tonnes of WEEE have been recovered in Finland — but a similar amount has gone unrecorded. The WEEE collection rate is about 50%, while the EU target is 65%.
Some devices end up in informal collections or reused abroad, others remain stored in homes. Unfortunately, a small share still ends up in mixed waste.
“I believe that genuinely end-of-life devices in Finland largely end up in proper recycling, but not everything is reflected in producer responsibility statistics,” Räsänen notes.
The calculation method for the collection rate also receives criticism. The current formula assumes that products return to collection within three years, even though many devices last decades. New product groups — such as solar panels — appear in collection statistics only far into the future.
“The calculation of the collection rate should be based on what is actually possible to collect,” Räsänen says.
Towards More Efficient WEEE Circulation
Although Finland has a well-functioning WEEE recycling system, development continues. What will the next twenty years look like?
“Legislation is tightening, and new devices and categories are changing the composition of WEEE and increasing the amounts collected,” Räsänen predicts.
Räsänen and Puumalainen see artificial intelligence and digitalisation opening new opportunities for WEEE recycling.
“It is likely that the EU will introduce a digital product passport for electrical devices, providing information on repairability and recycling. Every repaired device is a win — extending product life is the core of the circular economy,” Puumalainen says.
