Producer responsibility for WEEE as a driver of ecodesign: Case studies of business responses to producer responsibility charges

Due to potential environmental, resource and health problems associated with waste, wasteminimisation is a prioritised waste management strategy in many countries. Producerresponsibility policies promote waste minimisation by stipulating separate collection andrecycling of particular waste streams. In addition, a purpose of the policy is to encourageproduct development that reduces waste generation and improves recyclability. It issometimes assumed that the financial responsibility assigned to producers for collectionand recycling of their end-of-life products will instigate waste minimising productdevelopment in order to reduce costs. However, this view has also been contested.Following the adoption of the WEEE Directive (2002/96/EC) all EU member states have toimplement producer responsibility for WEEE. Taking a qualitative multiple case studyapproach, this study explores company responses to the costs of existing national producerresponsibility policies for WEEE in relation product development. The purpose is to informpolicy-making on the effectiveness of producer responsibility charges in achieving wasteminimising product development.The study comprises both large companies and SMEs in the lighting equipments sector. Italso includes companies in EU member states without producer responsibility for WEEE inorder to see if there are any differences in waste-minimising product design amongcountries and if national policies have an impact beyond national borders. Economicprinciples and previous research findings on ecodesign make up the analytical frameworkfor the study.Quantitative data on cost-benefits of ecodesign and waste minimisation achievements werescarce. However, the company responses show that the costs imposed on the producers bythe WEEE policy have had little effect on product development so far. The costs cangenerally be transferred to customers via product prices. The price increases were generallysmall and without any negative effects on competitiveness. Other drivers such as bans oncertain substances, environmental industry product declarations, commercial advantagesincluding direct customer demands from for instance public procurers, are more effective.