A giant pink cat hologram will be surprising commuters at London Waterloo from Tuesday 20th August. The hologram is seemingly an effigy of HypnoCat, Recycle Your Electricals’ pink, fluffy mascot, which will be playfully leaping out at commuters, tail a-twitching and eyes a-swirling.

The giant, 3-metre-tall pink HypnoCat will be seen pouncing on commuters and mesmerising them as electrical items spiral around him, seemingly highlighting the tech items that he wants everyone to recycle. The state-of-the-art technology, provided by HyperGram, uses the latest holographic technology, without the need for a screen or glasses. 3-D objects float mid-air, ensuring that HypnoCat and his message are impossible to ignore. He’ll make recycling electricals unmissable for commuters, holiday goers and shoppers.

The HypnoCat hologram is being launched in the run-up to International E-Waste Day (October 14th), to encourage people across the UK to participate in The Great Cable Challenge. This nationwide campaign aims to address the millions of unused cables lying idle across homes by urging households, local authorities, retailers, schools and community projects to collectively recycle 1 million cables. Cables contain at least 20% copper and this precious material is lost forever when cables and other electricals are thrown away. Copper is an essential part of everyday items we take for granted, including our smart tech, transport, medical equipment and our green energy future.

Scott Butler, Executive Director of Material Focus said, “HypnoCat is out and about and larger than ever before! Using incredible hologram technology in this unique visual way, we hope he will pawsuade many more people to take action and join us in our recycling efforts in the run up to International E-Waste Day.

“Almost all of us have those old, forgotten cables stashed away at home – I have a box under my bed of cables I’ve been holding onto ‘just in case’ but haven’t actually used in months or are broken. But by recycling them or donating those that still work, we can repurpose or reclaim that valuable copper currently going to waste. The Great Cable Challenge is a simple way for everyone to make a big, collective difference – by recycling at least one cable. Most people will be surprised at just how easy it is to do.”

As a nation of cat lovers, we all know that “cats rule” and this cat is no exception – he’ll be distracting commuters, and even a few dogs! With his tail twitching impatiently, and his voice booming, he’ll compete with essential train information. Commuters at Waterloo on 20th – 24th August will find HypnoCat in 3D underneath the big train time information board.

Bailey Young, Director at DMG said, “Disturbed Media Group, an innovative agency at the forefront of immersive experiences, is proud to announce the showcase of its latest project in the UK, HyperGram. Leveraging state-of-the-art 3D holographic technology developed by our esteemed tech partner, Hypervsn, HyperGram transforms traditional visual storytelling by creating animations that appear to float in mid-air.

It’s been a joy bringing to life Hypnocat which seemed incredibly fitting to what we were trying to achieve this year. We hope consumers around London have a really enjoyable experience and we look forward to the results of the campaign!”

How can you get involved in International E-Waste Day?
Anyone can participate in The Great Cable Challenge and take one small action to make a big difference. Simply bag up your cables – and any other old, unwanted electricals you find in your ‘drawer of doom’ – and visit Recycle Your Electricals’ postcode locator to find your local donation or recycling point.

Material Focus has created a campaign toolkit to enable local authorities, retailers, schools and community projects across the UK to take part in the challenge and help inspire people to recycle their old cables and other small electricals. If you would like more information then please email hello@materialfocus.org.uk.

Partners can either:

• Set up pop-up cable collections in offices, universities, schools and community halls, to make it as easy as possible for employees, students or residents to recycle their household electricals and cables. The toolkit includes a step-by-step guide for setting up your own pop-up collection point (for household electricals only, not business waste).
• Help promote the campaign using Material Focus’ communication materials, and raise awareness of electrical waste and encourage individuals, and local communities, to take action.

The Chartered Institute of Waste Management (CIWM) has called for extended producer responsibility (EPR) for batteries (and products containing batteries) and a targeted deposit return scheme (DRS).

The appeal was made in a new white paper from the group, called ‘An EPR of Everything, Starting with Batteries’.

Fires caused by the batteries consumers throw away are causing a major crisis for the waste and resource management sector, taxpayers and the communities in which they occur, explains the CIWM.

In 2023 there were more than 1,200 fires caused, or suspected to be caused, by batteries at UK waste and recycling facilities or in collection vehicles (Material Focus, 2024), an increase of 71% from 2022. The cost of damage and lost time from these fires is estimated to be in the region of £158 million (Eunomia, 2021). The vast majority of these fires however were avoidable and resulted from batteries, in particular high powered, rechargeable batteries that should not have been placed in a bin but taken to a collection point.

The CIWM white paper, said to be based upon an extensive research programme report commissioned by CIWM and carried out by env23 Ltd, identified the lack of clear and impactful consumer information; the dramatic increase of batteries in everyday items; and the failure of producer responsibility rules to keep pace with the changing chemistry and pervasiveness of battery technology as the three main reasons for their incorrect disposal.

Consumer research undertaken for the report supported these findings with 40% of those surveyed choosing the ‘wrong’ option when asked how to dispose of an electric toothbrush. Where batteries can be removed however, they are much more likely to be taken back to a retailer or collection point with almost 70% of people saying they would do so.

The report found a strong level of public support for the use of deposits for items such as batteries, with 51% saying they would use the scheme on ‘all or most occasions’ and a further 32% saying they would use it on ‘some’ occasions. Implantation of the scheme would also be eased by the fact that the deposit value would only need to be modest as most ‘wrong waste-wrong place’ items such as toothbrushes and vapes are relatively low value items.

Commenting on the call for action on battery recycling, CIWM’s Director of Innovation and Technical Services, Lee Marshall, said: “The current targets for battery recycling are out of date, easily met, and amount to little more than a tick-box exercise for the manufacturers and retailers of these products. Championing extended producer responsibility and promoting the safety of our colleagues are key commitments from CIWM. We call on the new government to rise to the problem of addressing hard to recycle products and to prioritise the launch of a battery DRS consultation as part of a shared commitment to developing a more circular economy.”

CIWM has also called on battery manufacturers and retailers to act immediately and work with the institution in promoting safer, simpler and more effective recycling. It also highlights the need for chemistry-specific recycling targets to be introduced as part of the process of updating existing producer responsibility legislation for batteries.

An EPR of Everything, Starting with Batteries sets out recommendations to governments and legislators on how to address the widespread environmental, commercial and social issues associated with ‘hard to recycle’ products and materials, such as batteries, for the betterment and protection of society in general and workers in the resource and waste management industry in particular. The end-of-life impact of products and materials can no longer be a carefree and unconscious process by those carefully and consciously exploiting raw materials. To support a circular economy the narrative must be changed with an emphasis away from ‘costs’ towards ‘value’.

The CIWM white paper can be accessed here and the research here.

The Reuse Hub for lighting products was launched by Recolight at the end of 2023. It is a platform to facilitate the donation of surplus or used lighting products and equipment for a manufacturer or end user to request. There is no other system like it in the UK to facilitate finding a new life for lighting products that have not reached the end of their life.

There are considerable volumes of new and used lighting products that are needlessly recycled when they could be reused. Some are in very good condition before removal and therefore a lot of the value and embedded carbon is lost if they are recycled.

Many manufacturers hold unsold stock; surplus new lighting taking up valuable warehouse space Recolight want to make it as easy as possible for companies to hand over surplus and used products to third-parties, who can put them to good use. Helping to free up valuable warehouse space and allowing surplus stock to have another life.

Since its launch, over 100 product lines with a total of over 16,000 individual units have been added to the hub. One recipient taking advantage of the stock is Simon Fisher of F Mark, who says:
‘Using the Reuse Hub, F Mark has secured over 700 individual products for use on other projects and initiatives. It’s a fantastic resource and we highly recommend registering as, you never know, the next product to be specified by you could be from Reuse Hub!’

The Reuse Hub is currently free of charge for both donors and recipients. It includes a template agreement between both parties, that clearly limits the liability of donors, to de-risk the process. Any type of organisation can sign up, including manufacturers, remanufacturers, specifiers, end users, charities, and more.
www.recolight.co.uk

Material Focus has reopened its Electricals Recycling Fund, offering £750,000 of funding to support projects that make it easier for people to reuse and recycle small household electricals. Previous rounds of funding have provided £1.8 million to fund over 40 UK projects, some of which are described here.

The Electricals Recycling Fund is looking for project proposals that will test creative, practical and scalable new methods for collecting electricals that could deliver significant environmental benefits in the future.

Scott Butler, Executive Director of Material Focus said: “This additional funding is a testament to the success of the projects so far and shows the commitment to tackling e-waste in the UK. We are excited to continue expanding our efforts and making electricals reuse and recycling easier for more people across the UK.”

Kieran O’Leary Policy Officer at Durham County Council said, “Since October we have held 10 Repair Cafés and repaired 97 items. We have also supported two volunteer-led repair Cafes and are in the process of setting up a further two. The benefits of HypnoCat and Material Focus’ excellent marketing is hugely beneficial for any project – be it a new one or an existing one. We already had a collection network but this project has allowed us to expand and raise awareness through useful assets including HypnoCat.”

The fund aims to support two types of projects – those seeking to grow or develop existing household collection services for small electricals, and those seeking to innovate new collection methods. Material Focus are seeking applicants from a range of organisations including: local authorities, waste collection authority areas, waste contractors, reuse organisations, non-profits, producer compliance schemes, retailers, and startups are all encouraged to apply. Individuals are not eligible for the funding.

If you are interested, the group asks you to submit an application on its website. There is no deadline and this funding round is open on a rolling basis. Applicants can expect to hear within 3 months of applying if they are successful, says the group.

Example projects so far
From the Orkneys to the Isles of Scilly and from Norfolk to Derry the projects span the UK, with a selection of these described below.
• Durham’s project has installed 200 recycling points for small electricals across the county, recycling over 8 tonnes of electrical waste. Additionally, 156kg of electricals have been reused through monthly repair cafes, attended by 115 people so far.
• In Ashford, amnesty/blitz style electrical collections days and repair workshops have seen over 225 people attending resulting in 209 items being donated to the local hospice and 52 items booked in for repair.
• ILM Highland’s project installed 7 Small Electrical Recycling banks in rurally isolated locations across the Highlands, collecting 7.69 tonnes of waste electricals.
• Newcastle’s doorstep collection of small electricals and pop-up recycling centres has reached over 300,000 individuals, collecting 1.64 tonnes of old unused electricals, equivalent to 1161 items.
• Piloting the first vape recycling scheme in the UK, Oxfordshire collected over 10,000 disposable vapes at household waste recycling centres alongside a dedicated separate kerbside collection for 70,000 households.
• Derry and Strabane Council’s partnership with Repair Cafe Foyle holds twice-monthly volunteer-run repair cafes across the county, aiming to encourage local residents to repair rather than discard electrical items.
• Wastesavers’ project in Newport, Wales focuses on increasing donations of small domestic appliances, collecting 38.73 tonnes of small electricals, of which 26.84 tonnes were able to be reused.

Recovering the valuable metals present in e-waste is challenging, involving liberation, sizing, and separation. Bunting’s separation equipment recovers ferrous and non-ferrous metals at various stages in the e-waste recycling process. The firm is presenting its solutions at the forthcoming E-Waste World Conference and Expo (26-27 June 2024, Messe Frankfurt, Germany).

High-intensity magnetic separators, including the firm’s Stainless Steel Magnetic Separator, recover small and weakly magnetic metals including fragmented stainless steel. The remaining non-magnetic fraction passes over an Eddy Current Separator, which recovers the non-ferrous metals such as aluminium and zinc. The concentric and eccentric magnetic rotor designs of Eddy Current Separator enable recovery of non-ferrous metals down to 3mm in size.

One of the final processes uses an Electrostatic Separator to recover finer metallic particles. Separation occurs by induced an electrostatic charge into a conductive dry-liberated particle.

The location of a metal separator within an e-waste recycling process depends on the flowsheet, the feed material, and the separation objective. Bunting’s applications engineers work closely with e-waste recyclers to understand their process and recommend the optimum separator solution.

E-waste recyclers also use Bunting’s testing facility at the Customer Experience Centre in the UK to assess metal separation capabilities, processing materials on a wide range of equipment.

“There is a drive to increase e-waste recycling which is only possible if there are recognised processes and equipment,” said Bradley Greenwood, Bunting’s European Sales Manager. “The E-Waste World Conference and Expo provides the ideal opportunity to discuss the challenges facing e-waste recyclers and identify separation technology to enable valuable metal recovery.”

The global production of e-waste rose to 62 million tonnes (Mt) in 2022, up 82% from 2010 (Unitar). Estimates indicate that e-waste will rise to 82 million tonnes by 2030. At present, e-waste recycling meets only 1% of rare earth element demand.

For further information, visit the firm’s website www.bunting-redditch.com.

A circular supply chain for wind turbines in Scotland is one step closer, says sustainable materials firm EMR, thanks to a pilot processing centre the group has opened at its Glasgow South Street site.

While wind power delivers an increasingly high percentage of the UK’s energy demands, the oldest wind turbines are now reaching the end of their operational lifespans. With nearly 90% of a wind turbine containing infinitely recyclable materials – such as steel, aluminium, and copper – EMR says the new facility enables these metals to re-enter the circular economy.

Some of the challenges and opportunities presented by the quest for circularity in the wind sector are explored in this article.

EMR is also working with suppliers and customers to give components a second useful life via reuse and refurbishing, significantly reducing the embedded carbon of this green technology.

In contrast to the tower and nacelle, wind turbine blades are typically constructed with a mixture of balsa wood and fibreglass, making treatment options for these components a far bigger challenge. The new site has achieved a permit to receive and store blades to trial innovative new techniques to handle and downsize them to enable repurposing, recovery, and recycling to be undertaken.
This means the new Wind Turbine Processing Centre can accept every part of a wind turbine, enabling them to be a valuable component and material bank, not a waste problem.

The project is part of Re-Rewind, a partnership between industry and academia – spearheaded by EMR – which aims to create a circular supply chain for the rare earth magnets used within modern wind turbines. Research and development projects to boost magnet reclamation will also be based at the new processing centre. Re-Rewind is part-funded by the UK Government through Innovate UK.
The new facility is, itself, an embodiment of the “reuse” ethos it promotes, having been built inside a more than 100-year-old warehouse that was originally constructed for the North British Engine Works (also known as the Barclay Curle Complex) in around 1913.

The facility will also see EMR partner with Scottish businesses across the country to create a circular supply chain for wind turbines, while also bringing skilled green jobs to Glasgow, too.
‘Great example’

Morag Watson, Director of Onshore at Scottish Renewables, said: “With sustainability at its heart, Scotland’s renewable energy sector is well placed to lead the way in developing industry standards that prioritise resource recovery, reuse, repair and remanufacture.

“The wind turbine processing centre being developed by EMR is a great example of how companies are harnessing the opportunities presented by a circular economy and consolidates Scotland’s reputation for leading the way in circular renewables.”

Supply chain
Dr Charlotte Stamper, Strategic Partnerships Manager at EMR said: “The positive impact of renewable technologies such as wind power is clear. However, with this facility, all materials used in the construction of wind turbines can be put back into the supply chain, creating a circular economy.
“EMR’s decommissioning hub will create a new pathway for used turbines to be efficiently dismantled, with most components either being immediately recycled by our expert teams or refurbished and made available for reuse.

“EMR’s new Wind Turbine Processing Centre will bring together some of the most exciting research when it comes to reusing or recycling wind turbines, ensuring this green technology is even more sustainable.

“I’m very proud of the leading role that EMR is taking in meeting this challenge head on.”

For more information on EMR, visit the website at emrgroup.com.

By Matthew Lumsden, CEO of Connected Energy, a firm with expertise in using batteries for energy storage.

Picture this, it’s Friday night and you’re watching the ever-popular TV game show Family Fortunes. The question comes up: “What items are often discarded when still 75% full?” Stale bread, long forgotten condiments, and unloved cosmetics all come up as popular answers, but how many people would have guessed an EV battery?

The answer is likely close to zero, but the reality is that every year tens of thousands of EV batteries will be retired from vehicles when their capacity drops to around 75%. However, unlike those out-of-date condiments which are destined for the bin, many EV batteries could have a second life by being converted into stationary storage.

With over 100 million EV batteries expected to be retired in the next decade, and a fast-growing energy storage market globally, repurposing spent EV batteries into stationary storage represents an exciting, high-value sector. Indeed, the global energy storage market is set to grow by 21% annually to 2030, according to BNEF while concerns over the supply of critical minerals to manufacture new batteries persist. In addition, extending the battery’s useful life by up to 100% can alleviate the growing challenge for automotive original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), who, despite limited recycling facilities, are required by regulation to collect and dispose of EV batteries appropriately.

Repurposing EV batteries into stationary storage
Before Connected Energy repurposes a battery, it must first pass a history and health check, including a physical inspection to ensure it has not been involved in a collision, shows no signs of damage or corrosion, and meets minimum performance criteria. Most second-life battery stock considered by Connected Energy for stationary storage comes from fleet vehicles such as vans via automotive OEMs, as these typically have excellent traceability, good service history, and are available in large quantities. Most fleet vehicles also have predictable daily duty cycles and are charged steadily overnight which makes them relatively homogeneous in terms of use and degradation.

Contrary to early industry expectations, battery degradation has not been as significant as anticipated. Our test data revealed that under normal operating conditions, most second life batteries offer 80-85% efficiency, with theoretical lithium always at the high end of 90% – not dissimilar to what is experienced in a car. Similarly, the data collected on duty cycles is being used to improve prediction capabilities and ensure robust safety processes.

Using second life batteries in stationary storage
Connected Energy’s system controls battery packs in pairs within containerised systems, ranging from 24 to 100 packs depending on the required system capacity, while utility-scale systems are much larger. A control system manages each pair, allowing higher capacity packs to be called upon more frequently so that packs reach the same state of health over time. The system also provides greater levels of dynamism and flexibility, optimising how the batteries are used and monetised.

For example, Nottingham City Council installed 600kW of second life stationary storage at their EV fleet depot to help transform the site’s energy use. The system stores excess electricity from three on-site solar arrays which is then used later to charge their EV fleet and reduce electricity use during peak times. Additionally, the site aims to participate in grid services by trading stored electricity and through vehicle-to-grid services via the 40 bi-directional EV chargers.

Each system is continuously monitored remotely with data on operating temperature, charge, efficiency and exception alerts analysed to assess system health. Machine learning identifies anomalies, trends and relationships between the variables to guide real time operation and maintenance strategies. Operational data can also update models and assumptions to improve future systems, and, in some instances, is shared with OEMs to improve their understanding of battery performance in later life.

The future of second life batteries
The introduction of the Battery Passport in the EU in 2027 will enhance data availability on battery performance and durability, supporting better decision-making at the end of a battery’s first life. Equally, we can expect that the EU Battery Regulation Amendment – which has the goal of achieving sustainable battery lifecycles – to encourage more collaborative ways of working, particularly between battery OEMs and stationary storage providers.

New business models are likely to emerge, for example where OEMs retain the ownership of their batteries and receive revenue from their continued use. Finally, as a market for second life batteries develops, we are likely to see increased engagement from large fleet owners, who will be interested in maximising the value that they can get from the sale of their batteries bringing the overall lifecycle costs down.

The potential for second life batteries in stationary storage is immense. The next five years will see a significant increase in batteries that can offer a viable alternative to new batteries, and in doing so address several key energy challenges in the UK; from the need for grid storage to support greater renewables penetration and improve energy security to providing additional power capacity to support the electrification agenda. Over the past decade, Connected Energy has developed the necessary technologies to harness this opportunity and is now poised to scale up.

Disposable e-cigarettes or vapes are big business, they are also a big problem for the environment. David Deegan of Tetronics suggests a solution that’s based on plasma technology.

Single-use, disposable e-cigarettes or vapes are a big problem for the environment, one that is toxic. Since their introduction in 2003, initially as a ‘healthy’ alternative to tobacco, they have created a whole new contaminated e-waste stream. In 2023, over 7.7 million disposable vapes were sold every week, and around five million are discarded weekly in the UK, according to research from Material Focus. Despite many vape shops having facilities to dispose of them safely for recycling, only 17% of vapers recycle them correctly. Many find their way into landfill with black bag refuse or are simply thrown onto the ground. In both cases, they cause harm to the environment as they leach nicotine, fire retardants and other chemicals into the ground.

The problem may eventually go away. The government recently announced a ban on sales of disposable vapes in England, Scotland and Wales to discourage vaping among young people. The ban is expected to be implemented by early 2025, after the industry and retailers have been given 6-months’ notice to phase out supply. Northern Ireland will also consider introducing a similar ban. But that still leaves millions in circulation, a substantial threat to the environment, and the need for an interim solution.

There are some businesses already offering disposable vape recovery and recycling, often as part of a broader electrical waste (WEEE) and small mixed electrical waste service. An effective recycling process comprises three main elements: collection and supply of a viable feedstock stream (in this case a large volume of discarded vapes); a dismantling and processing stage (whether mechanical, thermal or chemical); and a commercial outlet for the recovered products. Without all three, it is hard to make a strong investment business case.
Recovering critical metals and materials from more common e-waste, such as PCBs in computers and larger electronics, is easier both to do and to make a business case for. While disposable vapes and e-cigarettes do contain recoverable metals the process is harder and more resource-intensive because they are so much smaller.

Within their small cases, disposable vapes house a heating element, a microprocessor and a battery, plus a cartridge for the liquid. Most casings are made of plastic which, because it is in an electronic setting, will contain flame retardants.

Because the components are very small, they are difficult to recover via mechanical separation – the typical recycling technique that a waste receiver would use to recover materials from e-waste. The scale of electronics in e-cigarettes makes the return on extracting tiny pieces of copper very low. Where there is iron and copper in the vape, the iron might be seen as a rogue element and devalue the copper being extracted. The process is made more difficult and potentially toxic because of any residual vaping liquid and flame-retardant plasticisers. In addition, a lot of these complex chemicals will be classified as persistent organic pollutants. In short, disposable vapes are not easy to recycle within a normal e-waste process but are highly damaging to the environment if they are not recycled.

One solution to this dilemma is plasma. Plasma is omnivorous – it can destroy plasticisers and plastics and render vaping liquid harmless. It is a proven way to extract critical materials from spent devices, prevent hazardous waste reaching landfill, and create a beneficial by-product.

Plasma is an electrically charged – or ionised – gas. Sometimes described as the fourth state of matter, it occurs naturally in the environment in lightning, sparks from static electricity and the aurora borealis. Plasma is widely used in television and display screens, fluorescent lighting and even arc welding.

Tetronics uses plasma technology in an extensive range of applications from recovering precious metals in catalytic converters to removing the toxicity of industrial materials like asbestos and air pollution control residues.

To recover critical metals from electronic equipment, the process Tetronics uses involves introducing the materials – the e-cigarettes and vapes – into a sealed furnace and employing a plasma arc to apply intense heat and ultra-violet light in a controlled environment. The chemistry separates and recovers the valuable metals, minerals and other materials from the feedstock.

Rather than extensive and labour-intensive dismantling of the component parts, plasma can address the complete vape. The plasma process produces liquid metals which can be tapped off for recovery and reuse, while the inorganics – the plastics, polymers and plasticisers – become a fuel source, and the vape liquids are ultimately exhausted as safe gases in line with emissions protocols.

The Tetronics process denatures any toxic elements into a non-hazardous glass-like material called Plasmarok. Another useful by-product is the energy produced, which can be used to power the recycling process. Nothing is wasted. Furthermore, plasma is powered by electricity which, when sourced from renewables, makes it one of the cleanest thermal processing technologies available.

It is very important to consider the batteries used in disposable vapes. Lithium-ion batteries are used to power a vast range of electrical equipment from electric vehicles to electric toothbrushes. They are ideally suited to recharging and there have been several studies into the rechargeability of the batteries discarded in disposable vapes. Ideally, the production, sale and disposal loop for single-use vapes would be sufficiently closed for these lithium batteries to be re-used up to 300 times, thereby avoiding thousands of tonnes of harmful waste going to landfill. Unfortunately, however, the multi-stage, multi-national supply chain is not that coordinated yet and, with a ban looming, it is unlikely to reach full circularity.

That shifts the focus from recycling and reuse of whole batteries to recovery of the lithium within them; a highly specialised process in which plasma can also play a role. In the Tetronics process, the lithium would be partitioned from the other vape components into the inorganic phase, the Plasmarok. At the very least, the lithium contained within this inert glass is now immobile, removing the potential for explosion or pollution.

Better still, the Plasmarok represents an intermediate source of lithium; providing a raw feedstock for the lithium refining process. Plasma becomes part of the broader supply chain for recovering lithium to make new batteries and add to a robust circular economy for critical materials.
At present, alongside the ban on sales of disposable vapes, the government is exploring regulatory mechanisms to promote the recovery of critical minerals from waste. Defra is actively looking at ways to ensure the producers of vapes properly finance recycling costs when they become waste.

There does need to be a concerted effort to address disposable vapes that involves the recycling sector and more importantly the suppliers – both producers and retailers. They need to take more responsibility for reducing waste and harm to the environment. Were retailers to incentivise people to return disposable vapes, especially younger users, this could have a big impact on the number being carelessly discarded while increasing the volumes available for mineral recovery, and making the whole loop a more sustainable investment.

The European Parliament voted on 23 April to adopt new rules on the so-called “right to repair” for consumers, which aim to make it easier and more cost-effective to repair goods.

The new rules ensure that manufacturers provide timely and cost-effective repair services and inform consumers about their rights to repair. Goods repaired under the warranty will benefit from an additional one-year extension of the legal guarantee, further incentivising consumers to choose repair instead of replacement.

After the legal guarantee has expired, the manufacturer is still required to repair common household products, which are technically repairable under EU law, such as washing machines, vacuum cleaners, and even smartphones. The list of product categories can be extended over time. Consumers may also borrow a device whilst theirs is being repaired or, if it cannot be fixed, opt for a refurbished unit as an alternative.

A European information form can be offered to consumers to help them assess and compare repair services (detailing the nature of the defect, price and duration of the repair). To make the repair process easier, a European online platform with national sections will be set up to help consumers easily find local repair shops, sellers of refurbished goods, buyers of defective items or community-led repair initiatives, such as repair cafes.

Revitalising the repair market
The rules aim to strengthen the EU repair market and reduce repair costs for consumers. Manufacturers will have to provide spare parts and tools at a reasonable price and will be prohibited from using contractual clauses, hardware or software techniques that obstruct repairs. In particular, they cannot impede the use of second-hand or 3D-printed spare parts by independent repairers, nor can they refuse to repair a product solely for economic reasons or because it was previously repaired by someone else.

To make repairs more affordable, each member state will have to implement at least one measure to promote repair, such as repair vouchers and funds, conducting information campaigns, offering repair courses or supporting for community-led repair spaces.

Rapporteur René Repasi (S&D, DE) said: “Consumers’ right to repair products will now become a reality. It will be easier and cheaper to repair instead of purchase new, expensive items. This is a significant achievement for Parliament and its commitment to empower consumers in the fight against climate change. The new legislation extends legal guarantees by 12 months when opting for repair, gives better access to spare parts and ensures easier, cheaper and faster repair.”

Once the directive is formally approved by Council and published in the EU Official Journal, member states will have 24 months to transpose it into national law.

According to the European Commission, the premature disposal of consumer goods produces 261 million tons of CO2-equivalent emissions, consumes 30 million tonnes of resources, and generates 35 million tonnes of waste in the EU each year. Consumers also lose about €12 billion yearly by replacing goods rather than repairing them.

The new rules are expected to bring €4.8 billion in growth and investment within the EU. The directive complements other new EU rules on Ecodesign and on Empowering consumers for the green transition.

Lighting manufacturers, importers, contractors, end users and specifiers all have specific responsibilities under environmental legislation when it comes to dealing with waste – to be explored in an upcoming webinar.

There are legal duties regarding the sale of new lighting, and the storage, transport, and reporting of waste lighting,  most of which is now classified as hazardous. What is more, the legislation is changing, with new digital waste tracking due to start in 2025.

Specifically, the

• Environmental Duty Of Care Regulations,
• Hazardous Waste Regulations,
• Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Regulations,

place an array of legal duties and licensing requirements on

• lighting producers,
• distributors,
• and contractors

which they must discharge if they are to be compliant with the law.

To help the lighting sector understand the requirements of the regulations and its associated guidance, Recolight – the lighting industry’s leading WEEE compliance organisation – is to hold a special webinar on the subject at 11am on Thursday 11 April 2024. It’s free and open to all.

Recolight experts – including chief executive officer Nigel Harvey and collections development manager Lyndsey Tweddle – will explore the regulatory landscape and the options available to comply, including the comprehensive services offered by Recolight.

They will share their advice and experience, giving you the knowledge you need to fully comply with the spirit and letter of the law. They will also assess forthcoming regulations, so you are prepared for the future legislative landscape.