Importation of Second-Hand Products and Importation of Second-Hand Products and Its Impact on Waste from Electrical and Its Impact on Waste from Electrical and Electronic Waste (WEEE) management Electronic Waste (WEEE) management

schemeschemeCase study of LithuaniaCase study of Lithuania

Lina Šleinotaitė-Budrienė,PhD candidate, Waste management project group leader,

Institute of Environmental Engineering at Kaunas University of Technology

Advanced Research Workshop on Life Cycle Analysis for Assessing Energy and Environmental Implications of Information Technology

Budapest, Hungary, September 1-3, 2003

Structure of the presentationStructure of the presentation

• Problem definition/ Challengies for Lithuania

• Methodology

• ConcluConclusions

• Floor for the discussion

IssuesIssues raisedraised • Export / importation of Second-Hand

products – Impact on material/waste flows in the country of

destination/ exporting country

– Impact on existing waste management schemes in exporting country and country of destination (financing, infrastructure, logistics, transportation, collection scheme, recycling etc.)

– Impact on implementation of producer responsibility principle / “historical waste”

– Environmental / Economical /Social considerations

-Impact on policy making, drafting of legislation/ transposing of WEEE directive 2002/96/EC

Country backgroundCountry background –Lithuania –Lithuania

Recent history: 1990 re-establishes Independence

1991 is admitted to United Nations

1994 applied for NATO membership

1995 signs A Europe /Associate Agreement with the EU

2003 04.16 signs European Treaty of Accession

2003 05.10-11 Referendum (91,07 %)

2003.12.11-12 negotiations with EU have finished2004 EU and NATO member ?

Economy: 1991-1994 dramatic decline; 1995-1998 period of recovery, macroeconomic stability and growth, GDP- 5,7 % (2001), 6,7 (2002)

Well-developed industrial base complemented by strong transportation and service sector

Area: 65 300 sq.kmPopulation: 3.7 mln. (68 % urban )Population density-55 inhabitants per sq. km

Major cities: Vilnius (578 200), Kaunas (414 500)Natural resources : timber, peat, gravel, construction sand, quartz sand, dolomite, clay, limestone, brick clay, mineral water, amber, oil

Why waste stream from EEE ?• Rapid changes in technology/ consumer behaviour• Economy is increasingly knowledge based• Services are taking predominant share• Possession / transformation of information and

communication is crucial to success• Production and consumption of EEE will dominate in the

future scenarios, providing platform for many activities… this will increase amount of EEE

• Significant environmental impacts during the life cycle of EEE

• Problematic nature of the waste/ limited research and attention

• Final disposal (incineration and land filling) is widespread solution

Why waste stream from EEE in Lithuania ?

• Legal framework and waste management systems are under development

• Little attention to specific waste steams• “Hot” topic /Priority waste stream in EU, Japan, Taiwan,

USA• Dynamic changes in the country : integration,

transformations in economic and social life, qualitative and quantitative improvements (renovations, construction of the new infrastructure)

An overview of environmental problems associated with WEEE

• Uncertain return• A very heterogeneous spectrum of categories

and products (differentiated by technical characteristics, life expectancy, users and modes of use)

• The complex structures of the products (materials, joint structures, etc.)

• Hazardous materials and substances involved; complex mixture of plastics

• Lack of management techniques to handle such a diverse spectrum of products, hazardous waste

• “Historical waste”• Slow implementation of incentives to promote

eco-design within the EEE sector…

European legislation on WEEE

• Directive 2002/96/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 January 2003 on waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE)

• Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Directive 2002/96/EC on waste electrical and electronic equipment

• Directive 2002/95/EC of the European Parliament and the Council of 27 January 2003 on the restriction of the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment

Directive 2002/96/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 January 2003 on waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE)

– Mandatory producer responsibility

– Separate collection : a) from private household ( return at least free of charge, individual/ collective take-back systems set by producers, 13 August 2005, b) other than WEEE from private household – producer responsibility for collection

– Rate for separate collection at least 4 kg an average per inhabitant per year of WEEE from private households (by 31 December 2006), new mandatory targets by 31 December 2008

– Recycling targets of WEEE (by 31 December 2006) Range from 50 % to 80% depending on the type of equipment, recovery targets are also set

– Technical requirements for WEEE treatment facilities– Financing aspects of WEEE from private household- producer

responsibility (by 13 2005 for deposited WEEE, for products put on the market later than 13 August 2005-collective or individual systems of producers, recycling insurance or blocked bank account, “historical waste” – by the existing producer’s schemes)

– Financing of WEEE from users other than private household (after amendments)

For products put on the market after 13 August 2005 –producers, partial or total responsibility of users additionally)

Waste management of WEEE in Lithuania State-of-the art

Administrative frameworkAdministrative framework

(Ministry of Environment, Regional Environmental Protection Departments, EPA, Municipalities)

WEEE treatment infrastructureWEEE treatment infrastructure

Collection ( public drop off centers (9), other collection routes)

More sites developing 10 Regional Waste Management Systems

Very low collection rates, mainly for household appliances

RecyclingRecycling (2 recycling companies only for brown goods, JSC Kuusamet shredding facility (capacity 90 t/hour !).

FinancingFinancing mechanism mechanism (municipal funds, ISPA structural fund for RWMS (collection infrastructure))

Waste management legislation in Lithuania relevant to WEEE

• Producer Responsibility for used tires, batteries and accumulators, packaging, fuel oil filters, air filters (for internal combustion engines), hydraulic (oil) shock absorbers, end-of-life vehicles (project)

• Producers/ importers have different alternatives: pay tax to state budget (Programme for Waste Management of Products and Packaging) or to meet recycling/recovery targets established and present documents confirming that targets are met, establish their own individual or collective systems

• There is no single legal document concerning WEEE (except general waste related laws)

• The Ministry of Environment initiating the project of transposition of WEEE directive (possible partners- Okopol (Germany), Baltic Environmental Forum). It is plan to start one year project in September 2003

• The Ministry of Environment asking EU for the extension of the period of full transposition, because of failure to meet collection targets

Importation of Second-Hand ProductsMagnitude (Lithuania)

• 80 % of all imported vehicles into Lithuania are second-hand

• 10 % of all imported textile products are second-hand (1992-1998)

• 25 % of all imported tyres are second- hand (2002)• Importation of Second-Hand Electrical and Electronic

Products /data for 4 products out of 87 listed in CNG(1994-2000):– Dishwashers (of household type)- 30 %

– Washing machines- 31 %

– Refrigerators- 83 %

– Personal computer – 57 %

Importation of second-hand computers into Lithuania (1994-2000)

1994Total

1995Total

1996Total

1997Total

1998Total

1999Total

GrandTotal

0

5000

10000

15000

20000

25000

Qu

an

tity

in

un

its

)

Year

Import of new and second-hand PC s I (1994-1999.10)

Quantity of second -hand PCs

Quantity of all PCs

7519

1331

557394

2324

660

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

7000

8000

Qu

an

tity

in

un

its

1994Total

1995Total

1996Total

1997Total

1998Total

1999Total

METAI

Nimport of second -hand PCs (1994-1999.10)

Importation of second-hand refrigerators into Lithuania (1994-2000)

9432029285647718036

10002

28637

1409331538975484927011093

34468

0

5000

10000

15000

20000

25000

30000

35000

Qu

an

tity

(u

nit

s.)

1994Total

1996Total

1998Total

GrandTotal

Quantity of all

METAI

Importation of second-hand and new refrigerators into Lithuania (1994-1999.10)

Quantity of all

Quantity of second-hand

943

2029

2856

4771

8036

10002

0

2000

4000

6000

8000

10000

12000

Qu

an

tity

(u

nit

s)

1994Total

1995Total

1996Total

1997Total

1998Total

1999Total

Year

Importation of second-hand refrigerators into Lithuania (1994-1999.10)

KIEKIS

Importation of second-hand refrigerators into Lithuania (1994-2000)

5628

705 915 1414

18620

0

2000

4000

6000

8000

10000

12000

14000

16000

18000

20000

KIE

KIS

(V

NT

.)

SKANDINAVIJA DIDŽIOJIBRITANIJA

VOKIETIJA

Country

Importation according to the country

Series3

Series7

Series8

Series9

Series10

0

2000

4000

6000

8000

10000

12000

14000

16000

18000

KIE

KIS

(V

NT

.)

2-40 41-100 101-300 301-500Intervals of declared statistical value on

one unit in Lt

Quantity distribution of imported second-hand refrigerators according to declared statistical value of one unit in Lt. (1994-

1999.10)

Restrictions on Importation of Second-Hand Products in Lithuania

• Importers of used tyresused tyres must obtain permit from the Ministry of Environment. Permit condition- importers must collect and deliver to recycling/recovery companies 75 % of total amount of imported used tires (1997)

• Second-hand clothesSecond-hand clothes (sanitary-hygienic norm- requirements for the companies importing seconds-hand clothes (Humana, individual importers, etc.) (1998)

• Second-hand End-of-Life VehiclesSecond-hand End-of-Life Vehicles (introduction of differentiated customs for second-hand vehicles according to age)

• Ministry of Environment failed to restrict importation of Second-hand EEESecond-hand EEE products in 1998, because:– Problems identifying “used” or “second-hand” products within the frame of

Combinated Nomenclature of goods– Products has no certificates of origin, – Variety of products, year of production, age of the products– Absence of a technical infrastructure for testing of products (huge investments,

training needed– Absence of research, data analysis – Problems cooperating between various Ministries concerned

Environmental and other problems/impact associated with uncontrolled importation of

Second-hand EEE products• Illegal importation of hazardous and non-

hazardous waste• Impact on environment (absence of facilities to

remove CFCs and other hazardous substances, land filling, etc.)

• Financial pressure to municipalities• Constrains of exporting countries ( loss of

materials energy, components, impact on collection/recycling targets

• Impact on future centralized national or European treatment facilities

• Positive social impacts

Possible solutions / Recent developments

• Research, investigations towards obtaining the maximum benefit ( economic, social) from the second-hand EEE products ( this stream should be seen as potential source of valuable materials)

• Financing of Feasibility Studies ( at national and companies level)

• Development of possible restriction schemes (?)• Strengthening of collection infrastructure through

Regional Waste Management Systems • Introduction of producer responsibility