Electronic waste in Russia

2023: Recycling of electronic waste in Russia has grown 3.5 times since 2019

The M of Video El Dorado group "," which works in the field e-commerce of and, and retail electronics and household appliances the Association "SKO Electronics - Disposal" have assessed the Russian market for the collection and disposal of electronic waste (OEET) since the launch Russia of solid municipal waste (MSW) in the reform industry. Representatives of M.Video-Eldorado have shared the results of the study TAdviser since September 8, 2023.

The federal collection program is old, electronic engineers as well as a number of regional programs implemented by recycling companies, the M.Video group Dorado started together with the Electronics-Utilization Association in 2019. At the time of the launch of the programs, a small amount of waste fell to qualified processors, mainly decommissioned equipment from legal entities. Faced with an increase in collection in stores, recyclers invested the funds received in the development of their production facilities.

As the results of the study showed, since 2019, the collection of electronics in Russia has grown by more than 2.5 times, and processing - by more than 3.5 times. The volume of battery processing increased 5 times. In particular, buyers of M.Video-Eldorado have collected 260,000 devices and 9.5 million batteries since 2019.

"We continue to improve the services for receiving equipment from customers, in particular, we launched the free Ecotaxi service in 18 cities. The service includes the dismantling of equipment, allows you to arrange the export of large-sized equipment without buying new goods in retail and online. Our customers can bring small-sized devices and batteries to stores, as well as transfer unnecessary equipment along with receiving new goods, - said Oksana Platonova, head of environmental programs at M.Video-Eldorado Group.

According to her, most often they hand over refrigerators, washing machines mobile devices, small household appliances, wires and for processing. cables Most of the equipment is transmitted by residents,,, and Moscow St. Petersburg. Novosibirsk Yaroslavl Samara Outdated power elements are actively handed over in,,, and. To Moscow St. Petersburg Rostov-on-Don Chelyabinsk Kazan

"The increase in recycling rates is facilitated by the constant informing of buyers about safe disposal methods and the expansion of options for collecting equipment and batteries on a federal scale. Since 2019, the volume of collection of unusable power elements has grown more than 6 times, equipment - 10 times, "added Oksana Platonova.

The capacity of processing enterprises in the OEET segment since 2019, according to researchers, reached 500,000 tons per year. At the end of August 2023, more than 354 enterprises specialize in the processing of electronic waste in Russia (against 80 in 2019). The number of M.Video-Eldorado retail stores accepting equipment for processing increased 2.5 times to 836 across the country.

In recent years, it has also been possible to significantly increase the percentage of electronics waste that is involved in recycling, and not going to landfills or incineration - for example, in 2022, more than 97% of collected electronics waste was recycled at licensed enterprises (+ 30 pp since 2019).

As Vladislav Bondarev, director of the SKO Electronics-Recycling Association, pointed out, at the federal level, support measures have not yet been provided for collectors and recyclers of electronic waste, and the foundations have not been created to motivate businesses to order a high-quality recycling service, carried out in a way that is safe for nature. At the same time, the creation of facilities for the processing and collection of electronic waste is a capital-intensive process that requires the involvement of all market participants. In his opinion, support for federal, regional and municipal programs for the centralized collection of electronic waste from the population, as well as compensation for costs and interest rates on loans for processing companies, will help increase the volume of e-waste processing in Russia to targets.

"At the same time, we see that since 2019 the following trends have occurred: firstly, the positive dynamics of the conscious approach from the population to waste disposal for disposal is noticeable. Secondly, the share of secondary raw materials in the production of new products has increased. Thirdly, a huge increase in the depth of OEPO processing is visible, "added Vladislav Bondarev.

The results of the study are based on data obtained during the survey of nine partner factories of the federal program for collecting unusable equipment, as well as on their own data from M.Video-Eldorado and the Association "North Kazakhstan Electronics - Recycling." You can read in detail the results of the study here.

2022: Russians banned from throwing household appliances and computers into trash cans

From March 1, 2022, it will be prohibited to throw household appliances and computers into garbage cans in Russia - such waste, both legal entities and individuals, will need to be disposed of at collection points, garbage operators or shops. This was reported on February 21, 2022 by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Ecology of the Russian Federation.

Many of the items included in the list contain dangerous substances, and they should not be allowed to enter the environment. For example, plastic, breaking up in landfills for 200-300 years, spoils the soil, harms small animals, gets through groundwater to the nearest water sources. Microplastics are also dangerous for human health, said Parliamentary Gazette"" senior researcher Institute of Oceanology named after P.P. Shirshov RAS Philip Sapozhnikov.

Russians banned from throwing household appliances and computers into garbage cans

For improper disposal of computers, household appliances, system units, boards and hard drives, fines are imposed:

• for the first violation: for citizens - 1-2 thousand rubles, for organizations - 100-250 thousand rubles.
• for repeated violation during the year: for citizens - 2-3 thousand rubles, for companies - 250-400 thousand rubles.
• if people or the environment are affected: for citizens - 3-4 thousand rubles, for organizations - 400-500 thousand rubles.

In the Moscow region by February 21, 2022 there are several dozen "megabaks" where you can load household appliances and other special waste. Meanwhile, an experimental service "Removal of Unnecessary Things" was launched in Moscow, Parlamentskaya Gazeta notes.

Since 2021, Russia has a ban on the release of 182 types of goods to landfills, in particular mercury thermometers and lamps, car tires, mobile phones and batteries. In addition, tires, construction waste, tree and bush saws, grass, chemicals, medical waste and a number of other items should not be thrown into garbage containers.^[1]

2021

A pilot project for the collection of electronic waste has started in Moscow

The corporation "Ecopolis" LLC "GK SET" launched To Moscow into a pilot collection project. electronic waste On September 2, 2021, in the Kozhukhovo People's Park (Lobanova St., 10), a stationary reception center was opened for ecological the disposal of faulty and outdated and. electric devices household appliances E-waste collection will be carried out during September. More. here

Moscow ordered infrastructure for the collection of electronic waste

On May 13, 2021, it became known about the first agreement of public-private partnership in the field of electronic waste management in Moscow. The creation of the relevant infrastructure was entrusted to Ecopolis Corporation. Read more here.

2020: First draft of federal electronic and electrical equipment waste management scheme approved

On April 27, 2020, the first draft of the federal waste management scheme was approved by Deputy Prime Minister RFViktoria Abramchenko. Ecopolis announced this on April 28, 2020. Earlier, the Corporation took part in the formation of the document, informing the PPK REO about its plants for environmental processing and disposal of electronic waste. Read more here.

2019: Launch of a project to collect old electronics at Moscow industrial enterprises

On November 7, 2019, the company Ecopolice announced that, together with the Department of Investment and Industrial Policy Moscow , it had launched a project to collect the old electronic engineers industrial one at the enterprises of the capital. More. here More. here

Today, 1.4 million tons of electronic garbage are generated in Russia. In Moscow alone, according to expert estimates, this figure is 130 thousand tons per year. According to expert assessment, no more than 25% of this volume is processed. This is despite the fact that about 1000 licenses have been issued for the disposal of electronic waste.

Such a low percentage of utilization is associated with a number of problems that arose during the formation of the Russian industry for the processing of waste of electronic and electrical equipment (OEO). At the legislative level, the mandatory utilization of used electronics and electrical equipment is not fixed, and there is also no system for centralized collection of OEPO from the population, which is very important for the formation of a full-fledged raw material base among processors. As a result, a "gray market" for the collection and processing of this type of waste has formed in Russia. Thus, the imperfection of the legislative framework leads to a decrease in tax revenues to the budget, unfair competition in the disposal market, an increase in the amount of hazardous waste in landfills. Plus, the OEPO processing industry is extremely capital-intensive, therefore it needs subsidies from the state, as well as stimulating the consumption of secondary raw materials through the support of producer companies. Another very important legislative problem that exists today is the possibility of exporting printed circuit boards containing valuable components in the form of precious metals abroad. This leads to an outflow of capital from the country and to the export of rare metals to foreign countries.

See also

• Incinerators of Russia
• Electrical Waste (Global Market) Electronic Waste
• Recycling of garbage
• Technologies in recycling
• Plastic waste

• Space debris