Reduction in all environmental fees of more than 20%
From 1 January 2012, Elretur will be reducing its environmental fees for all products. On average costs will be cut by more than 20 per cent. The rates for some products will be reduced by more than the rates for others, e.g. refrigeration appliances will see a reduction of between 33-43 per cent.
We are in a position to again reduce environmental fees because of our control over and regulation of the waste streams coming into our system, efficient operations and the resulting lower haulage and treatment costs. Elretur has a complete overview of the collection obligations we fulfil on behalf of all our customers and adjusts its collection accordingly. This means we are collecting, environmentally treating and recovering the exact amount of waste we are supposed to according to our customers' market shares. Our calculations in the first half of 2011 were so precise that we collected 101 per cent of the quantity of WEEE we had an obligation to collect.
A product's environmental fees reflect the costs incurred on the collection and waste side for the corresponding product. Every product has to bear its own costs in order to avoid cross-subsidisation. For example, given that the recovery of TVs is improving and becoming cheaper, the environmental fees for TVs should be reduced. The same applies to other products.
Elretur is a producer owned, non-profit take-back company. So, when Elretur makes a 'profit', it has to reduce the environmental fee rates so that the costs for the producers and importers of EEE, i.e. our customers, are reduced.
The new environmental fee rates are available on the Environmental Portal on our website: www.ee-import.no . Select 'price list' and enter the date '01.01.2012' to see the rates for next year. If you do not have access, please send an email to support@elretur.no and ask for access.