The proportion of electronic waste generated in Europe is on the rise. This is not surprising given that children today have cell phones, iPods, computers, etc… Awareness of the value and potential reuse of this ‘waste’ is lacking. China and India are much more aware of this opportunity, having an entire industry dedicated to recycling this waste. In the book Cradle to Cradle by William McDonough and Michael Braungart, it is argued that product planning needs to take into account the entire life cycle of a product, thereby knowing exactly how it will be recycled and re-used. The path to achieving this goal will be long.

The European Parliament is improving the Electronic Waste Directive from 2002. The key reason for this is the electronic device market’s rapid evolution and obvious deficiencies in the implementation of the existing directive. Member States also interpreted the Directive quite differently, especially in relation to the types of products that fall under so called electronic waste.

The new regulation, as also in most policies, the impact on the environment and health is highlighted. This aspect is a focal point of discussions, which is an important difference from discussions in Slovenia. Setting targets for achieving parameters that are beneficial for the Earth and living things means for a large up front investment, but the long term payback will be overwhelming.

A goal has been set to collect 4kg of electronic waste per year, per capita in Europe. Given the different development levels of Member States, this goal is for some easily within reach and for others much more difficult. The essence of the problem is out of sight, because of poor waste management, as a large proportion of waste is hidden by illegally exporting it out of Europe. Europe is thus losing strategic jobs and raw materials. Integral changes to parts of the Directive are: increasing surveillance mechanisms; a clear definition of which products fit into the category; and a more transparent process of acquiring the permits necessary for the collection and recycling of this waste.

Regulating the collection, transport, dismantling and reuse of electronic waste is a source of raw materials and although it lacks visibility, it is also an opportunity to create new jobs – even for our homeland Slovenia.