Every year, El-Kretsen collects some 1,50,000 tonnes of electrical and electronic waste. Their business rests on a legislative foundation, but what really drives them is the thought of creating a smarter, safer and more sustainable world. This vision, they feel, is shared with the entire Swedish industry.
Properly handling metals, plastics and chemical substances is a complicated procedure, which requires knowledge and resources not every producer can be expected to house on-site – but together, but the company deals with it. For any client affiliated to El-Kretsen, they take care of the practicalities and make sure the client complies with current legislation concerning WEEE or battery collection and recycling, leaving the client to focus on their real mission: producing and selling your products.
They collect everything with batteries or a lead, the company says
All electrical products, which are placed on the Swedish market, must be collected and recycled in a sustainable manner, and it falls upon the producers to make sure this happens. Virtually everything powered by a lead or a battery is covered by the Ordinance. As the legislation is based on an EU Directive, all EU countries have passed similar laws at a national level. The minimum requirements are stated in the EU Directive, but national differences do occur. In Sweden, the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency serves as the national supervisory body to which, the annual amounts are to be reported.
The rules differ somewhat depending on what type of products the client is placing on the Swedish market. They have collected what’s especially important for an electronics/WEEE producer or a battery producer.
Producer responsibility
The company says it believes it should be a simple task to take responsibility for the environment.
By signing an affiliation agreement for products and/or batteries, the client becomes a part of their national collection system. Their clients report on a monthly- or quarterly basis what has been sold onto the Swedish market while they take care of the collection and proper handling of the client’s electronic and electrical waste.
Mandatory reporting to the EPA is included in Reporting agreement
Producers within Sweden and EU also need to register to the Swedish EPA, Naturvårdsverket. Battery producers and producers of professional EEE report what has been put on market and what has been collected. Producers of consumer EEE only needs to report put on market. El-Kretsen also offers to handle the client’s yearly reporting.
Declaration portal collects all information in one place
A client will get access to a declaration portal where they have collected all necessary information. Newsletters, pricelist, a product library, certificates, the client’s old declarations and statistics are all in one place.
Further, foreign producers need to appoint an Authorised Representative in Sweden. El-Kretsen offers the service and for these clients, and they will also handle the registration and the yearly reporting to the EPA.
Nationally approved collection system
Working jointly with the 290 municipalities in Sweden, some 20 transport carriers and approximately 30 recycling stations gives them control over the entire recycling cycle. El-Kretsen is a nationally approved collection system, which means that they guarantee efficient and environmentally sound handling of the client’s electrical and electronic waste.
