Dutch recycler registers drop in e-scrap collection

AMSTERDAM (Scrap Monster) :  The net volume of e-scrap collected by the Dutch recycler Wecycle has dropped for the first time,as per reports. The net collection figure for 2012 was 121 million Kilograms of electronic waste. This is considerably less than the net collection of 128 million kilograms in 2011. The collection has been increasing constantly year-on-year ; this is for the first time the net collection has dropped. The collection by Specialist third-party recyclers amounted to an additional 18 million kilogram of e-waste.

The collection of IT appliances registered the sharpest fall during the year. While the collection of all other categories recorded 4% decline, there was a huge 15% decline recorded in the collection of IT appliances collected. The net collection of IT appliances was 15.5 million Kilograms whereas the total collection of all other devices was 102.3 million kilograms.

The collection of fluorescent tubes and energy-saving light bulbs also fell slightly. However collection of fixtures saw an increase of 2%.

 According to the company, there are various reasons for the lower collection rates, although disappointing electronics sales in 2012 remains to be the main cause. Lower sales lead to less discarded devices . There was a drop in collection of electronics such as washing machines, refrigerators, dish washers, television sets, stereo installations and computers.

The statistics however states that the total waste collected per inhabitant by the recycler is 7 kiligrams which is quite higher than the 4% objective set by the Government.

The Netherlands-based recycling service provider collects and recycles as many e-waste as possible and guarantees their optimum recycling.