Assessment of WEEE Management in Greece
Greece had established a formal WEEE management system, but significant volumes of electrical and electronic equipment remained outside documented collection and treatment routes. A 2023 assessment commissioned by EERA and the EERA Greek Committee identified gaps in collection, enforcement, reporting and financing that were limiting the effectiveness of the system and creating additional costs for compliant recyclers.
Greece was falling short of its WEEE collection target
The study, prepared by Eunomia Research & Consulting, examined WEEE quantities, collection and recovery performance, management costs and the operation of the Greek WEEE value chain.
In 2019, Greece officially reported 154,421 tonnes of EEE placed on the market, excluding reported photovoltaic panels. Around 64,730 tonnes of WEEE were collected, resulting in a collection rate of 47.3%. This was substantially below the 65% EU collection target applying from 2019.
The analysis also found that not all EEE entering the Greek market was captured by official data. Based on estimates available to the study, EPR fees may have been unpaid on up to 15% of EEE placed on the market. Including this potential free-riding, total EEE placed on the Greek market could have been around 180,000 tonnes.
The challenge went beyond collection rates
The study identified several interconnected weaknesses across the WEEE value chain. Free-riding meant that some producers potentially benefited from the system without contributing fully to its costs. Limited enforcement resources, insufficient coordination between public authorities and inadequate monitoring were identified as factors making the problem more difficult to address.
Scavenging presented another challenge. Products, components and valuable materials could be removed at collection points or during transport before WEEE reached authorised recycling plants. The report concluded that this affected both the economics and quality of compliant treatment.
Complexity was adding cost without improving outcomes
Although EU reporting is based on six WEEE categories, recyclers in Greece were required by a producer responsibility scheme to classify WEEE across 64 subcategories. The study found that this created a significant operational and administrative burden, complicating sorting and handling and increasing costs.
The economics of treatment raised a broader issue. Based on information provided by study participants, actual recycling operating costs were estimated at more than €200 per tonne on average, compared with treatment costs considered by the PRO of €42.60 per tonne in 2019 and €47.20 in 2018. The report noted, however, that detailed cost data were limited and commercially sensitive, making precise comparisons difficult.
Improving the system requires action across the value chain
The report concluded that improving Greek WEEE management would require more than increasing collection volumes. Its recommendations included improving collection of small WEEE, bringing metal scrap and illegal treatment routes into the reporting system, preventing scavenging and keeping WEEE intact until proper treatment. It also called for simpler and more harmonised classification, consistent calculation of WEEE targets across the EU, appropriate collection and treatment of photovoltaic panels, stronger enforcement and monitoring, and greater public awareness.
The report also highlighted the longer-term opportunity to strengthen preparation for reuse and the recovery of critical raw materials, linking better WEEE management with wider circular economy objectives.
From collection targets to system performance
The central message of the assessment is that collection rates alone do not explain the performance of a WEEE system. Effective management depends on accurate reporting, producer compliance, appropriate financing, protection of WEEE before treatment, enforceable standards and sufficient oversight.
Addressing these underlying conditions would help Greece retain more WEEE within documented recycling channels and create fairer operating conditions for companies investing in compliant, high-quality treatment.
About the report
Published in 2023, the 91-page report was prepared by Eunomia Research & Consulting for EERA and the EERA Greek Committee. It draws on stakeholder engagement, regulatory and industry data, literature research and input from Greek recycling facilities and authorities to assess WEEE flows, costs and opportunities for improving the Greek system.
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