Consultation on Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Regulations - Producer Compliance Scheme (PCS) Balancing System Review 2022

Overview

The 2013 Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Regulations (‘the WEEE Regulations’) ensure that producers of Electrical and Electronic Equipment (EEE) finance the cost of collection, treatment, recycling and recovery of that equipment when it becomes WEEE in specified circumstances.

Amendments to the WEEE Regulations that entered into force in 2019 require producer compliance schemes (PCSs) to join the Government approved PCS Balancing System (PBS). This ensures that local authorities are guaranteed a collection service for WEEE from Designated Collection Facilities in circumstances where they have been unable to secure a collection contract from one or more PCSs.  It ensures that costs the of collection and proper treatment are shared equitably amongst all PCSs according to the market share of their members.

The approval of the existing PBS runs until 19 July 2022.  Defra commenced a review of the current arrangements on 13 December 2021 and invited proposals for changes to the current arrangements by 31 March 2022.

The purpose of this consultation is to seek views on a proposal from WEEE Scheme Forum to continue operation of the existing PBS with some detailed modifications designed to improve the operability of the existing arrangements. Comments with any supporting evidence are invited on the proposed modifications within the proposal. Other modifications may also be proposed. 

The consultation closes on 2 June 2022

What happens next

Following consultation, the Secretary of State will approve the existing PBS with or without modification before the existing approval expires on 19 July 2022