WEEE Case Study University of Edinburgh George Reid

WEEE Case Study – University of Edinburgh George Reid – Procurement Fleur Rothwell – Energy & Sustainability Office

Our Objectives • To make the purchasers and end users of equipment aware of the WEEE Directive and of our responsibilities and challenges • To ensure that the suppliers who deliver to the University have registered with a scheme (e. g. Valpak) - only 30% done so to date • To ensure that WEEE is disposed of at the lowest cost to the University whilst conforming to Do. C / good practic

Categories of WEEE • Large and small household appliances • IT and telecoms, mobiles • Consumer equipment • Lighting Equipment • Electrical and Electronic Tools • Toys, Leisure & sports • Medical Devices • Monitoring and Control equipment • Automatic Dispensers

Key dates • 1 April 07 date by which Compliance Schemes register members with the relevant Environmental Agencies • 1 July 07 Producer financial obligations start (start of compliance period) • 31 December 07 end of the compliance period

Our Challenges • • Awareness of users/purchasers No common inventory of items under £ 25 k Unauthorised / unregistered equipment Unauthorised disposal methods (skip, charities) • Disposal costs (who? / when? ) • Quantity and variety of WEEE • Details of compliance schemes geographical and space constraints

Current Situation • Policy for disposal of IT equipment • Contracts in place: – Annual for IT (and other non-refrig WEEE) – Approved supplier for refrigeration items – Annual contract for lamps – Route for mobile phones (with cartridges) • Procurement initiatives • Guidance (via website, procurement / waste networks)

Current Situation • IT equipment – Annual spend of ~£ 10 m on new IT equipment – 57. 9 tonnes disposed of (05 -06) at cost of £ 11, 750 – Increasing year on year • Lamps – quote of 15 p extra per new lamp since 1 -Jul-07 • Refrigeration equipment – 4. 6 tonnes disposed of (05 -06) at cost of approx £ 2 k • Mobile phones • Other, e. g. light fittings (no route previously), etc

Procurement – Supplier Conditions • Minimum quantities for “free uplift” • One site uplift or “milk run” • Inevitable involvement of resellers (e. g. extra £££) for collection of small items • Storage & segregation requirements • Other logistical / security considerations? • Different situation for historic / current

Procurement – IT agreements • • • Interregional Desktop Agreement (PC) National Notebook Agreement (NNA) National Apple Agreement National Printer Agreement (NPG) National Server Agreement National Photocopier (MFD)

Procurement – Standardisation • Select PC (mini tender within IRDA) • Select Laptop (mini-tender within NNA) • Select Printer (mini-tender January 08) • Add relevant clauses and questionnaires on WEEE and ROHS eg (data collection) manufacturer (product marking)

Initial “Quick Wins” for Uo. E • Extend policy to include all WEEE • Keep contracts for historic WEEE • Add more WEEE guidance to various websites to catch the users at the various stages e. g. purchase, specify, dispose • Ensure all ITTs have specific clauses relating to WEEE, ROHS • Revist T&C’s with all suppliers not using IRDA, NNA, Apple, NPG • Use Waste Coordinators & Procurement groups more to distribute key info

Other Solutions • Design posters / stickers for key notice boards, restrooms etc • Create wiki website for information / document management • Give supplier 1 -5 rating on environmental impact e. g. IT 1, travel 5 to enable choice • Join the dots between purchase-usedispose, clear information flow

Other issues • How will WEEE response by supplier be evaluated/scored? • Should we use a common tool such as the Greenpeace Barometer? • Should we deal with producers who are not part of a compliance scheme? • What about resellers who charge for collection (e. g. small items)?

Useful websites • http: //weee. procureweb. ac. uk/useful_links. html • http: //www. eaucwasteguide. org. uk/ • http: //www. valpak. co. uk • http: //www. cupid. ac. uk