Extended producer responsibility regulations expand to include overseas online marketplaces that sell electrical items, Circular Economy Minister Mary Creagh announces.
Under the new rules, online marketplaces now need to register with the Environment Agency and report sales made by their overseas sellers in the UK. This data will be used to calculate the amount of recycling they must finance annually.
Previously, UK-based firms covered the costs for the collection and processing of electrical waste, which the UK Government says placed them at a disadvantage compared to their online rivals based abroad.
Electrical waste is the fastest growing waste stream in the world and industry estimates by Material Focus found more than 100,000 tonnes of electricals are thrown away across the UK every year.
The funds generated through the regulations will be reinvested in recycling infrastructure to improve the collection and treatment of waste.
We are committed to moving towards a circular economy in which we keep electricals from laptops to toasters in use for longer.
Circular Economy Minister Mary Creagh commented: “We are committed to moving towards a circular economy in which we keep electricals from laptops to toasters in use for longer.
“Ensuring online marketplaces pay their share for managing the cost of the electrical waste they generate will increase recycling and level the playing field for UK-based retailers, boosting growth and making the system fairer through our Plan for Change.”
Last month, Creagh announced that £1.1 billion generated by packaging reforms will be invested in recycling services.
Alongside the additional requirements for online marketplaces, a new category of electrical equipment for vapes has been introduced to ensure the costs of their collection and treatment are covered by producers.
The sale and supply of single-use vapes was banned across the UK in June, as the government acted to curb the growing environmental and public health impacts of disposable vaping products.
Commenting on the announcement, Scott Butler, Executive Director of Material Focus, said: “We welcome the new vape category announced today, which provides a further opportunity to tighten up the environmental enforcement of vapes.”
Butler continued that understanding how many vapes are being sold allows the UK Government to set targets to ensure that vape producers make their ‘fair contribution’ to the costs of recycling these products.