Waste of Electrical and Electronic Equipment Management in China

The importance of the management of waste of electrical and electronic equipment in Europe has increased substantially with recent legislation on extended producer responsibility and recycling standards. This legislation also has an impact on producers of goods in China. Apart from this impact that creates complicated relationships between European and Chinese companies, there is also a Chinese WEEE problem. 

Currently, there is little insight in how WEEE in China is collected, processed and, eventually, recycled. This study, that was conducted as part of the Transumo Project ECO, is an attempt to identify the relevant parties, and to reconstruct the cycle of goods as they move from consumers to recycling facilities. 

In China, much more than in Europe, electrical and electronic (consumer) goods are moved through secondhand markets. These markets create value for goods and materials that, in Europe, are considered waste. Therefore, in China, there is an elaborate informal system of collection, in addition to more formal collection and recycling systems. 

The paper also presents some case studies of Chinese companies involved in manufacturing and retailing of consumer goods. In addition, the study explores in depth the working of one of the main secondhand market facilitators in Beijing.