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WEEE Consultation - Producer Compliance Balancing System (PBS)

From 1 January 2019, an amendment to the WEEE Regulations sets out a requirement for all Producer Compliance Schemes to join the Government-approved Producer Balancing System (PBS)

Such a mandatory system has been introduced to ensure that the cost of collecting WEEE at the request of local authorities is shared amongst all Compliance Schemes (a Regulation 34 request states that a Scheme has to collect WEEE from a local authority site within 5 working days for no cost).

Two proposals have been put forward in the consultation released by DEFRA. Following consultation, the approved PBS will be announced by the Secretary of State by 1 August 2019 and Compliance Schemes will be required to join within 30 days. The PBS will then be reviewed every three years.

Proposal 1 - WEEE Allocation Scheme (WAS)

Administrator: AECOM Infrastructure and Environment Limited

Approach:

  • Local Authorities (LAs) upload collection request to online system detailing WEEE streams, estimated tonnages, site locations
  • All information on the LA and its sites will be made available to all Schemes
  • Schemes place bids for the collection within 8 working days
  • If multiple nil-cost bids, the LA can choose the Scheme
  • If no nil-cost bids, the lowest bid wins the collection
  • Interim collection rates will be set for each geographical region of the UK to allow urgent collections to take place prior to Scheme bids being made
  • Schemes will be notified of the total value of the winning bid cost and will be able to see the number of bids placed against each request
  • LA-Scheme contract lengths will be set at twelve months to reduce the need for further Regulation 34 requests. Shorter contract lengths can be requested
  • Evidence allocated to Schemes based on market share

The full consultation document can be accessed here

Proposal 2 - WEEE Scheme Forum Ltd (WSF)

Administrator: Anthesis (UK) Limited

Run existing voluntary system

Approach:

  • Scheme receives Regulation 34 request and submits to PBS to online system detailing WEEE streams, site information and collection contract length
  • Multistage anonymous bidding process over three weeks determines Scheme (incumbent informed of winning Scheme)
  • Incumbent Scheme services any collection requirements within three-week period, interim collections funded by PBS membership
  • Evidence allocated to Schemes based on market share, appropriate WEEE protocols applied

The full consultation document can be accessed here

Share your views

The consultation closes on 15 April 2019. You can respond directly to DEFRA here or send your proposal preference, reasoning and views to consultation@complydirect.com so we can look to incorporate these into our own scheme response.

If you have any questions about the consultation, please do not hesitate to get in touch with the WEEE team at weee@complydirect.com or call 01756 794951