From: 
 
Sent: 
mardi 23 mars 2021 11:10 
To: 
CAB SIMSON CONTACT 
Subject: 
Invitation: Under the Microscope - 'Circular Economy - Recycling plastics 
from electrical and electronic equipment - challenges & opportunities' 
 
 
Dear Kadri, 
As part of our chemicals policy debate series, which we launched last year, Rud Pedersen is 
organising a virtual panel discussion on ‘Circular Economy - Recycling plastics from electrical and 
electronic equipment – challenges & opportunities’. As part of its Circular Economy Action Plan 
launched in 2020, the European Commission is currently developing its Circular Electronics Initiative. 
A key aspect of this will be to improve WEEE recycling and inter alia, the recycling and recyclability of 
WEEE plastics.  
Plastics used in electrical and electronic equipment often contain additives which add important 
technical value or to meet specific performance or product standards including fire safety. Recycling 
these plastics is challenging often due to the presence of hazardous or restricted substances which 
need to be removed. Around 2.6 million tons of WEEE plastics are generated annually[1] in Europe 
that needs to be managed, and more equipment is currently in use, which will become tomorrow’s 
waste problem.  
                                                           
[1] Sofies Study [2020]  “Impacts of Brominated Flame Retardants (BFRs) on the recycling of WEEE plastics” 

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Solutions are needed to increase the volume of plastics that are recycled from electrical and 
electronic equipment waste. This means addressing the high additive fractions currently being 
incinerated or co-disposed in cement kilns so that more plastics can be recycled.  
The objective of this panel discussion is to examine the current state of WEEE plastics recycling in 
Europe and discuss how recycling of current WEEE plastics can contribute to EU plastics recycling 
targets. It will also explore possible solutions to addressing technical and cost barriers that prevent 
increasing volumes of WEEE plastic recycling. 
Panel speakers will include: 
•
Stéphane Arditi, Director of Policy Integration and Circular Economy, EEB  
•
Chris Slijkhuis, Board Member, European Electronics Recyclers Association 
•
Joel Tenney, Global Director of Advocacy, ICL Chemicals  
•
Arthur Haarman, Consultant at SOFIES, Sustainability Consultants 
 
The webinar will be moderated by Steve George, Senior Advisor at Rud Pedersen Public Affairs 
Brussels.  
Click here to register. 
We look forward to your attendance! 
 
The Rud Pedersen Team 
 

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