We observe an upward trend in the market, among the population, in terms of handing in an electrical or electronic waste at the time of purchasing a new equipment. There are programs of buy back that stores implement, but there is also the legal obligation that stores have, to receive in 1 to 1 system waste electrical and electronic equipment from customers.
One thing is certain, both programs contribute to the collection of electrical waste from the population and are among the most accessible solutions.
What does it mean to recycle an electrical waste? It means permanently removing that waste from the circuit, eliminating dangerous substances (so as not to pollute) and reusing the resulting raw materials in the manufacture of new equipment (recycling). This process takes place right in Romania, the GreenWEEE factory in Buzău is an example of this.
What is the difference between Buy-Back and 1 to 1 System?
Buy – Back involves offering a discount in the form of a voucher for the purchase of a new product (reducing its price) by handing in an old electrical equipment. More simply, for handing in an old refrigerator, you will receive a discount or a voucher for the purchase of a new refrigerator.
This is a program implemented both at national level by the Ministry of the Environment through the AFM and by the retail chains that put electrical equipment on the market. An example of the Buy-Back program implemented by the authorities is Rabla Pentru Electrocasnice, where a series of equipment benefits from a discount, at any merchant registered in the program. The end customer ends up paying less on that new piece of equipment, because they handed in the electrical waste from home.
In parallel, specialty stores apply such programs for their customers all year round.
The 1 to 1 system it is the obligation imposed by law that traders have and, at the same time, the correct way of disposing of electrical waste that citizens have at their disposal.
Basically, this system involves an exchange, handing in electrical or electronic waste with the purchase of a similar new equipment, without the merchant offering a bonus.
According OUG 5 / 2015 Art 11, regardless of the type of electrical equipment you want to get rid of, small or large, the store from which you make the purchase (online or directly in stores) must offer you the possibility of handing in the equivalent old equipment.
These two variants are intended to contribute to the collection and recycling, respectively, of electrical waste that we still find in households. At the same time, disposal solutions are available to every citizen.