To prevent waste and reduce its impact on the environment, discarding of waste products needs to comply with a series of international, regional and national legislations.

PV CYCLE enables its members to comply with the legal requirements related to Extended Producer Responsibility in each country of the European Union where there is a legal entity established which sells Electrical and Electronic Equipment in that country. Depending on the products our members sell, they must comply with either Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive, the Battery Directive or Packaging Directive.

These Producer Responsibility regulations require that Producers and Importers, in a nutshell the ones selling for the first time these products in a country of the European Union organize the collection, recycling, waste treatment and the financing of these operations.

WEEE

Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) law regulates the appropriate collection, treatment and financing of end-of-life products in the countries of the European Union and requires that manufacturers, rebranders and importers of Electrical and Electronic Equipment comply with all national waste management obligations. PV WEEE legislation at a glance here.

BATTERIES

Battery legislation regulates the appropriate treatment of end-of-life batteries in the countries of the European Union. Both marketers and distributors are required to ensure a closed-loop approach for the batteries they bring on a national market.

PACKAGING

To harmonize national measures concerning the management of packaging and packaging waste and to prevent or reduce its impact on the environment the Directive 94/62/EC was adopted.

WASTE TREATMENT LEGISLATION

In turn, PV CYCLE and our partner network have to fulfill the extensive obligations under the Waste Shipment Regulation and the Basel Convention. Managing and treating waste also requires to have the necessary accreditations and permits – and to work at the industry’s highest standards. To learn more about our accreditations, visit our national websites or contact us by clicking here.

Waste Shipment Regulation

The European Waste Shipment Regulation specifies the procedures for waste shipments within the European Union, and to and from third countries. By regulating waste movements, the European Union seeks to improve environmental protection and prevent uncontrolled shipments.

Basel Convention

The overarching objective of the Basel Convention is to protect human health and the environment against the adverse effects of hazardous wastes. Its scope of application covers a wide range of wastes defined as “hazardous wastes” based on their origin and/or composition and their characteristics, as well as two types of wastes defined as “other wastes” – household waste and incinerator ash.

The provisions of the Convention center around the following principal aims:

  • the reduction of hazardous waste generation and the promotion of environmentally sound management of hazardous wastes, wherever the place of disposal;/span>
  • the restriction of transboundary movements of hazardous wastes except where it is perceived to be in accordance with the principles of environmentally sound management; and
  • a regulatory system applying to cases where transboundary movements are permissible.

Waste Framework Legislation

With the goal of preventing the harmful effects of waste generation and in order to encourage sustainable waste management, the European Waste Directive provides a legal framework for the management of waste in Europe. Also, this directive regulates concepts and definitions related to waste management.