Statistics released by the U.K. government show well over 500,000 metric tons of household electronics and appliances were collected for recycling in 2015.
Up nearly 30,000 tons from 2014’s collection total of 491,880 metric tons, the 2015 haul marks the first time U.K. collection has exceeded a half million metric tons. The data was released by the U.K.’s Environment Agency this week.
Manufacturers, which are tasked with collecting and recycling waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) throughout the U.K., collected 521,609.23 metric tons of material during the year.
Manufacturers will need to collect a little more than that – 528,000 metric tons, according to letsrecycle.com – this year. The government calculates annual collection goals based off of collection totals from previous years.
Since extended producer responsibility was implemented mid-way through 2007 in the U.K., manufacturers, acting through WEEE compliance schemes, have collected about 4 million metric tons of household electronics and appliances.