WEEElainsäädäntö

WEEElainsäädäntö refers to legislation concerning Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) in Finland. This legislation aims to ensure that discarded electrical and electronic devices are collected and treated in an environmentally sound manner, minimizing their impact on human health and the environment. The core principle is extended producer responsibility, meaning that manufacturers and importers of electrical and electronic equipment are responsible for financing and organizing the collection and recycling of their products once they reach the end of their life.

The WEEE directive, implemented in Finland through national laws, categorizes electrical and electronic equipment into several groups to facilitate collection and recycling processes. Consumers are generally obligated to return WEEE to designated collection points, such as retail stores selling new similar products or municipal waste management facilities. These collection points then ensure the WEEE is transported to authorized treatment facilities.

At these facilities, WEEE is dismantled, and hazardous substances are safely removed and managed. Valuable materials like metals, plastics, and glass are recovered and recycled into new products. This process not only reduces the amount of waste sent to landfills but also conserves natural resources and reduces the need for raw material extraction. The legislation also sets targets for collection and recycling rates to continuously improve the environmental performance of WEEE management.