EU regulations on MWM/HHWM

1. Directive 94/62/EC on packaging and packaging waste (amended latestby Directive (EU) 2018/852) and Directive (EU) 2019/904) on the reduction of the impact of certain plastic products on the environment

URL: EU regulations on MWM/HHWM, 20-Dec-1994
Member States are requested to introduce systems for the return and/or collection//treatment of used packaging to attain the following targets:
- No later than 31 December 2025 (2030) a minimum of 65% (70%) by weight of all packaging waste will be prepared for reuse and recycled;
-No later than 31 December 2025 (2030) the following minimum targets by weight for preparing for reuse and recycling will be met regarding the following specific materials contained in packaging waste: (i) 50% (55%)of plastic; (ii) 25% (30%) of wood; (iii) 70% (80%) of ferrous metal; (iv) 50% (60%) of aluminium; (v) 70 (75%) of glass; (vi) 75% (85%) of paper and cardboard.
-By 2025, of an amount of waste single-use plastic products {listed in Part F of the Annex to Directive (EU) 2019/904} equal to 77 % of such single- use plastic products placed on the market in a given year by weight; etc.

2. Directive 2000/53/EC on end-of-life vehicles (ELV) (amended latest by Directive 2017/2096/EC and Directive (EU) 2018/849)

URL: Directive 2000/53/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 September 2000 on end-of life vehicles (legislation.gov.uk), 18-Sep-2000
Member States were to introduce systems for the return and/or collection/treatment of end-of-life vehicles (ELV) to attain the following targets:
-No later than 1 January 2015, for all end-of-life vehicles, the reuse and recovery shall be increased to a minimum of 95 % by an average weight per vehicle and year. Within the same time limit, the re-use and recycling shall be increased to a minimum of 85 % by an average weight per vehicle and year.

3. Directive 2012/19/EC on waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) (recast, amended latest by Directive (EU) 2018/849)

URL: Directive 2012/19/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 4 July 2012 on waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) (recast) (Text with EEA relevance) (legislation.gov.uk), 4-July-2012
Member States were to introduce systems for the return and/or collection//treatment of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) to attain the following targets:
-From 2016 onwards, taking account individual national economies: Collection target of 45% of the average weight of products placed on the market in a given country in the 3 preceding years;
-From 2019, the collection target increases to 65% of the average weight of products placed on the market in a given country in the 3 preceding years.
-From 15 August 2018 the recovery targets apply with the ways described in the Directive.

4. Directive 2006/66/EC on batteries and accumulators and waste batteries and accumulators (amended latest by Directive 2013/56/EU and Directive (EU) 2018/849)

URL: Directive 2006/66/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 6 September 2006 on batteries and accumulators and waste batteries and accumulators and repealing Directive 91/157/EEC (Text with EEA relevance) (legislation.gov.uk), 6-Sep-2006
Member States were to introduce systems for the return and/or collection/treatment of batteries and accumulators and waste batteries and accumulators to attain the following targets:
-Minimum collection rates of 45 % by 26 September 2016 (including batteries and accumulators incorporated into appliances).
-Recycling processes shall achieve the described minimum recycling efficiencies.

5. Directive 2008/98/EC, amended by Directive (EU) 2018/851, concerning waste oils, including edible oil and fat

URL: EUR-Lex - 32008L0098 - EN - EUR-Lex (europa.eu), 19-Nov-2008
In particular, within the main aims reported in the introductory section of the Directive, the following indications stand out.
(I) A special effort must be pointed toward the enhancement in actions aimed to improve the sustainable transformation of waste-based raw materials, possibly under circular economy models.
(II) Specific actions must be considered to improve the recycling and re-use of wastes.
(III) Waste oils must be collected in an exclusive way in order to facilitate their treatment and recycling.
(IV) Concerning the treatment of waste oils, their transformation into added-value products must be preferred with respect to other transformations (e.g., destruction).

6. Directive 87/217/EEC on the prevention and reduction of environmental pollution by asbestos

URL: Council Directive of 19 March 1987 on the prevention and reduction of environmental pollution by asbestos (87/217/EEC) (legislation.gov.uk), 19-March-1987
The Member States must take inter alia the measures necessary to:
- ensure that asbestos emissions into the air, asbestos discharges into the aquatic environment, and solid asbestos waste are, as far as reasonably practicable, reduced at source and prevented;
- to ensure that in the course of the transport and deposition of waste containing asbestos fibres or dust, no such fibres or dust are released into the air and no liquids which may contain asbestos fibres are spilled;
- to ensure that where waste containing asbestos fibres or dust is landfilled at sites licensed for the purpose, such waste is so treated, packaged or covered, with account being taken of local conditions, that the release of asbestos particles into the environment is prevented.

7. Regulation (EC) 850/2004 on persistent organic pollutants (the POPs Regulation; recast Regulation (EU) 2019/1021)

URL: EUR-Lex - 32004R0850 - EN - EUR-Lex (europa.eu), 29-April-2004
Based on Global Treaty of the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (adopted in 2001) and UNEP Aarhus Protocol (1998) the Regulation:
- creates a framework to protect human health and the environment by prohibiting, phasing out as soon as possible or restricting the production, placing on the market and use of POPs;
- lays down rules for dealing with stockpiles and waste containing POPs;
- requires EU countries to set up inventories for unintentionally produced POPs, draw up national implementation plans, monitor POPs in close cooperation with the European Commission and engage in information exchanges with both other EU countries and non-EU countries.

8. Directive 96/59/EC on the disposal of polychlorinated biphenyls and polychlorinated terphenyls (PCBs/PCTs)

URL: EUR-Lex - 31996L0059 - EN - EUR-Lex (europa.eu), 16-Sep-1996
The Directive establishes minimum requirements on the disposal of polychlorinated biphenyls and polychlorinated terphenyls (PCBs/PCTs) and the decontamination or disposal of equipment containing them. Member States inter alia are requires to take measures ensuring that:
- used PCBs and PCTs and equipment containing them are disposed of as soon as possible;
- inventories are compiled of equipment containing more than 5 litres of PCBs and PCTs, and summaries of these are sent to the European Commission within 3 years of the legislation's adoption;
- companies disposing of PCBs and PCTs are licensed and keep registers of the quantity, origin and nature of the used PCBs and PCTs they receive; etc.

9. Regulation (EU) 2017/852 on mercury

URL: EUR-Lex - 32017R0852 - EN - EUR-Lex (europa.eu), 17-May-2017
The Regulation establishes rules for the use and storage of and trade in mercury, mercury compounds and mixtures of mercury, and the manufacture and use of and trade in mercury-added products, and the management of mercury waste, such as:
- the export of mercury outside the EU shall be prohibited and the export of specific mercury compounds and mixtures of mercury shall be prohibited as from the dates set out in the regulation;
- the import of mercury and of specific mixtures of mercury for purposes other than disposal as waste shall be prohibited. Such import for disposal as waste shall only be allowed where the exporting country has no access to available conversion capacity within its own territory; etc.

10. Directive 2011/65/EU restricting the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment (recast)

URL: EUR-Lex - 32011L0065 - EN - EUR-Lex (europa.eu), 08-June-2011
The Directive strengthens existing rules on the use of hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment to protect human health and the environment, by also promoting the appropriate electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) end of life with a view to maximising their recovery.
Specifically, the Directive:
- define restrictions in the use of hazardous chemicals, such as lead, mercury and cadmium, to specific EEE;
- list technical substance-specific applications that are exempted from the restrictions. Several exemptions have been added since the publication of the directive and many have expired and no longer apply; the exemption lists are continuously updated in line with technical progress; etc.