Regional approach of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) management in France

Waste management regulation is generally impacted by Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) implementation, such as Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE). The main goal of this article is to explicit the WEEE chain and flows using the material flow analysis (MFA) method and to contribute to the understanding of the EPR implementation in a specific case study by examining operational activities of WEEE regional and urban flows. A detailed case study of the EPR implementation for WEEE in the Midi-Pyrénées Region and the Toulouse's urban area was conducted. Based on a MFA of the WEEE chain, results give an insight into operational activities dealing with circulation of waste material. It reveals the main dysfunctions of this WEEE management system, including lack of involvement of local authorities and consumers, dispersion channels and a low recycling rate at the local level. The roles of recycling operators, social economy companies and EPR compliance are also important to recover more resources from waste and to close the recycling loop.