Electronic waste, 7.6 million euro in communication to increase collection
New programme agreement signed between operators, distributors, producers and collectors: interception possibilities and traceability are enhanced
Electronic waste (WEEE), a new programme agreement has been signed between the Centro di Coordinamento Raee (the entity formed by the disposal systems), distributors, manufacturers and collectors: effective from 1 January 2026, it provides EUR 7.6 million for communication and awareness-raising activities, an unprecedented figure. The aim is to increase the collection of this waste, which is stuck at 29.6% of the total put on the market in 2024, far from the EU target of 65%.
The agreement is based on three strategic pillars: operational efficiency, territorial capillarity and communication to citizens. The traceability of WEEE is also implemented, which becomes a condition, for the actors in the chain, for access to the rewards, the amounts defined for each tonne collected.
News
The agreement also establishes the modalities and timing for the take-back of WEEE from retailers' collection points (retail outlets or distribution warehouses) and defines the economic contributions that manufacturers pay to retailers for the management of e-waste.
For the first time, the thresholds of good operation between distributors and municipal collection centres - the two entities in the system responsible for the collection of WEEE - are standardised, thus creating a homogeneous system. Another novelty concerns the significant reduction of the minimum thresholds required to request the take-back of WEEE. The new thresholds, lowered to 200 kg for groupings R1, R2, R3 and R4, are aimed at favouring small and medium-sized points of sale, which often have limited space and for this reason, with the previous thresholds, struggled to quickly reach the quantities needed to activate take-back.
New Grouping Places
In order to increase the territorial presence and proximity of the collection service to citizens, a Fund dedicated to infrastructural development worth a total of EUR 300,000 is confirmed for the two-year period 2026-2027 for the opening of 150 new grouping locations. Resources are allocated to trade associations that undertake to promote the creation of new distribution grouping places at their members' premises.
