Trade bodies say EU waste rules favour single-use, ignore reuse, and lack effective enforcement.
Two leading industry associations have criticised the EU’s Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive as unfit for purpose, urging policymakers to act decisively to promote reuse, strengthen enforcement, and protect compliant remanufacturers.
The European Toner and Inkjet Remanufacturers Association (ETIRA) and the UK Cartridge Remanufacturers Association (UKCRA) issued robust responses following the European Commission’s evaluation of the WEEE Directive, published last week. While the Commission acknowledged the legislation’s coherence, it identified five major shortcomings, including poor collection rates, weak enforcement, and limited recovery of critical raw materials.
ETIRA President Javier Martinez said the WEEE system disproportionately benefits single-use models, particularly clone cartridges that undermine reuse. “For every single-use clone that enters, two reuse cycles are lost,” Martinez warned, calling for a dedicated cartridge category under WEEE with a mandatory reuse target starting at 30–40%, increasing to 80–90% over time.
The group also called for strict enforcement of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) rules, especially on online marketplaces that facilitate non-compliant imports. “Voluntary compliance is not working,” Martinez added.
UKCRA echoed the concerns, highlighting a 23-year struggle for recognition. “Despite engaging with ministers, MEPs and stakeholders across Europe and the US, the results have been frustratingly limited,” a UKCRA spokesperson said.
One member reportedly lost a local authority tender to Chinese new-build cartridges because price accounted for 70% of the scoring formula, despite new-builds offering no potential for reuse. UKCRA criticised OEMs for designing cartridges that resist remanufacturing, with parts welded shut and embedded chips blocking reuse. This, the group argued, contravenes the WEEE Directive’s own design-for-reuse requirement.
Both organisations called on governments and large corporations to lead by example, stipulating reuse in printer contracts. “The value they have given to the reduction of CO2 (up to 7kg reduction against one original or new build toner cartridge) can only succeed if Governments and CEO’s lead by example,” UKCRA said.
As the EU prepares to launch a fully digital Waste Shipment System and finalise its Circular Economy Act, ETIRA and UKCRA say the moment for action is now.
