Utilizing Economic Value, Resource Availability, and Environmental Impact Metrics to Improve the WEEE and Battery Directives and Promote Alignment with the European Commission Circular Economy Strategy

Abstract

Waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) provides complex challenges and unique opportunities for maximizing resource efficiency in the European Union (EU). This is due in part to the increasing volume, complexity, and value, and decreasing life cycles of such items. Current EU regulations, specifically the WEEE Directive and Battery Directive, focus on the end-of-life management of electronics and the impact of device design and material composition on environmental and human health. While these Directives are robust, the mass-based metrics on which they are focused can lead to a loss of materials that are impactful from an economic, resource availability, and environmental perspective. There is a need for increased research on the impact of these Directives on the availability of secondary raw materials and for an alignment of the WEEE Directive with the European Commission’s Circular Economy Strategy. This can facilitate the development of more holistic policies based on the complete life cycle of devices and all stakeholders involved in its design, manufacturing, use, reuse, repair, and recycling.