1. The EPR journey in France Alain Grimm-Hecker President of Eco-systèmes

2. Video

3. In a nutshell
Main results in France

4. In a nutshell (figures 2016)
Put on the market of producers members at Eco-systèmes: >1 million tonnes of EEE
1st WEEE PRO (Producers Responsibility Organisation) in France (75% market share)
Collection rate: 49.3% ( tonnes for Eco-systèmes), 4 points above regulatory target (45%)
1st WEEE PRO in Europe in collection performance
Operational system allowing control of WEEE flows, ability to negotiate thanks to critical volumes, industrial strategy
7000 jobs in France
Recycling rate (secondary raw materials available): 81% on average, above regulatory targets
From 78.9% for Large Domestic Appliances (excl. cooling and freezing appliances) to 85.7% for Screens
Strong partnership with the Social Economy
Re-use: in 10 years, 450 000 tonnes of used EEE dedicated to the Emmaüs and Envie networks
35% of collection operations and 16% of treatment operations, 3500 people in France
Eco-systèmes, committed to Research & Development
Support to innovation (treatment of plastics, critical materials) and development of the « Urban Mines » Research and Educative Chair

5. French specificities

6. Visible fee: a global financing plan
Mandatory visible fee without possibility of reduction along the chain of intermediates
Visible fee
Producer
Retailer
Collection partners
Logistics and treatment
Operating costs
Financial support to collection / solidarity networks
Information and R&D
Overhead (development, organisation, control)
69%
22% 4% 5%
A virtuous system:
Same fee from consumers to logistics and treatment operators (no margin at any step)
Educational tool
Modulation of fee to give incentive to producers
Guarantee of a long-term financing, in a context of increasing substance regulation and standardization

7. French specificities for producers responsibility organisations (PROs)
Co-construction approach with a Consultative commission involving all the stakeholders and responsible parties
Producers, NGOs, social economy, treatment operators, public authorities, municipalities, retailers…
Give opinion on PROs approval and results
Mutual commitments between the parties involved
Obligation for PROs to have an agreement with Social Enterprises accredited by the French labour law (promoting social/solidary activities and social reintegration)
PROs must support Social Enterprises activities, including promotion of preparation for re-use

8. French specificities for other actors
Mandatory application of the CENELEC standards for WEEE treatment into the regulation
Level playing field
All French treatment facilities WEEELABEX certified (90 facilities)
Ban on cash payments for metallic transaction
Implemented in France, but not in neighbouring countries yet…
Obligation for all operators managing WEEE to be in contract with a PRO
Encourages enterprises to operate a virtuous cycle of effort with a view to the overall raising of the treatment quality
All WEEE flows are accounted for as long as they are managed through the official approved and controlled system

9. Good practices in France

10. Strong regulatory and auditing frameworks
Strong regulatory framework defined by detailed specifications for PROs, both for individual and collective schemes
161 checkpoints reviewed for PROs managing household WEEE, 115 for professional WEEE
Strong development of WEEE collection through all collection channels
Deployment of collection points in 99.9% of municipalities (3500 collection points), with retailers ( collection points) and additional collection events in large cities
PROs work with metal wreckers/scrap dealers to contract with them and include them in the system (and avoid WEEE non-compliant treatment) as long as they follow strict protocols on traceability and integrity of WEEE (journal tracking all received WEEE, sorting and handling specifications…)
Strong control mechanisms through mandatory audits of treatment operators to be carried out by PROs and third parties
In conformity with CENELEC/WEEELABEX standards
Source: 2015 Ademe report

11. A strong commitment to precisely assess recycling rates and to R&D
Precise calculation of recycling rates with sampling and characterisations
On each treatment facility, at least once a year
Allowing an accurate assessment of each treatment facility performance
French law stipulates 1% of producers fees must be dedicated to research and development and 0.3% to communication
In 2016, Eco-systèmes invested > 1 M€ in R&D and 6 M€ in communication (4%)

12. Mandatory modulation of fees to consider the real end-of-life costs
16 kinds of equipment concerned (>50% of overall contributions)
Some examples
A mobile phone without standardised connections (charger and other connections) will have a +100% malus on its fee
A television with at least 10% of post-consumer recycled plastics will have a % bonus on its fee
Criteria have been mainly inspired on ecolabels:
Availability of technical documentation and spare parts
Possibility to disassemble with standard tools
Standardization of connections and compatibility with software updates
Integration of post-consumer recycled plastics

13. Fostering circular economy by the use of recycled materials
The role of PROs:
Accompany the structuring and continuation of the recycling chain (technological investments, creation of market outlets)
Give transversality with other waste flows
Encourage and support producers in the use of recycled materials
Success stories:
Credits: Philips, Groupe SEB

14. A demonstrated added value on end-of-life eco-design
RECYCLABILITY
Creation of REEECYC’LAB, the 1st European tool to assess and improve the recyclability of EEE
Assessment based on the state of the art of the recycling industry and on field work to identify ecodesign criteria
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
Creation of the 1st European database to measure the global environmental impacts of the end-of-life of EEE in Life Cycle Analysis
Assessment of more than 60 materials, based on the analysis of 50 facilities from WEEE collection to final destinations of materials

15. Challenges and expectations

16. Our upcoming challenges
More and more reports point out harmful management of WEEE in some African and Asian countries, with serious injuries to health and the environment
We might be potentially in debt to these countries
To stop with this, we need to maintain a high level of quality in WEEE management in France, in Europe
Create local investments, develop innovations, impose same treatment standards and high level of control, enforcement…
We need to fight against leakages of waste and inappropriate treatment
We need to achieve ambitious collection targets (65% in 2019)
We need to focus on innovation to keep up with the fast changes in products at optimized costs
Miniaturization, complex materials, increasing use of plastics…

17. Our expectations from the European regulators
Harmonise the regulatory framework between Member States:
Make CENELEC standards for WEEE treatment compulsory at EU level, for fair competition
Harmonise ban on cash transaction for metals, to avoid WEEE leakage at borders
Calculate accurate recycling rates on a same basis, i.e. measuring as far as possible at downstream level
Dedicate resources to efficiently control illegal activities, including exports of used EEE or WEEE
2 years after the Countering WEEE Illegal Trade project (CWIT), what should be a cross-country action plan ?
Define the same criteria of modulated fees on a European basis
A unique modulation system for all Member states could be an incentive for producers
Improve prevention and re-use
By involving the social economy, to create jobs and value in a circular economy perspective

18. To avoid double standards, Europe must impose the same high requirements in recycling activities, with a high level of control and enforcement.
Alain Grimm-Hecker, President of Eco-systèmes