The Critical Raw Materials (CRM) Closed Loop Recovery Project aims to increase the recovery of target CRMs by 5% by 2020 and by 20% by 2030. To achieve this, the project has invested in trials exploring novel ways of boosting the collection and recovery of critical raw materials from household waste electrical and electronic products (WEEE). Held across the UK, Italy, Germany and the Czech Republic, the collection trials mechanisms include retailer take-back schemes; reuse containers at household waste recycling centres, business collections, university drop-off hubs, school collections and other collection events. Find out more: http://www.criticalrawmaterialrecovery.eu/home/casestudies/retail-and-charity-trials

1. The LIFE 2014 CRM Recovery project has received funding from the LIFE Programme of the European Union.
GREAT RETURN ON WEEE COLLECTION
Take Back and Incentivised Return Trials in Northern
England
The Critical Raw Materials (CRM) Closed Loop Recovery Project aims to increase the
recovery of target CRMs by 5% by 2020 and by 20% by 2030. To achieve this, the
project has invested in trials exploring novel ways of boosting the collection and
recovery of critical raw materials from household waste electrical and electronic
products (WEEE).
Held across the UK, Italy, Germany and the Czech Republic, the collection trials
mechanisms include retailer take-back schemes; reuse containers at household waste
recycling centres, business collections, university drop-off hubs, school collections and
other collection events.
Retail and Charity Trials
One such trial was led by Axion Recycling Ltd (‘Axion’), based at Trafford Park,
Manchester. Axion are long established experts in the resource recovery sector. Using
this expertise and sector knowledge, they developed and delivered WEEE collection
trials across the North of England using both retail take- back and incentive return
schemes.

2. The LIFE 2014 CRM Recovery project has received funding from the LIFE Programme of the European Union.
Axion partnered with renowned and trusted brands – British Heart Foundation, Dixons
Carphone and John Lewis – to target high value IT equipment and consumer electronics
that are not generally disposed of via typical collection and recovery channels, often due
to concerns around data security (e.g. laptops, PCs, tablets, cameras, games consoles
and DVD / Blu-Ray players). Such items are also often ‘hoarded’ within the home, in
drawers, cupboards, lofts and cellars.
A further reason to target these types of WEEE is the high-level of critical raw materials
(CRMs) within the embedded printed circuit boards (PCBs) – an important aspect as the
bulk of CRMs in WEEE are found in components mounted onto PCBs. For example,
according to ITRI (2013) it is estimated that 265T of tin and 3T of gold (with a
combined value of £50 million) is disposed of via waste PCBs annually in the UK alone,
with additional platinum, palladium, silver, tantalum and rare earths.
Methodology
Within the CRM Recovery project, the three organisations were involved in different
types of collection scheme as summarised below:

3. The LIFE 2014 CRM Recovery project has received funding from the LIFE Programme of the European Union.
The Trial Results
1. Charity Shop Donation 2. Retail Take Back 3. Incentivised Retail Take Back
British Heart Foundation Dixons Carphone John Lewis
4 stores in Greater Manchester 5 stores in Greater Manchester 2 stores in Yorkshire
Devices of any condition accepted
Incentivised return offer included
a free data-wiping service with a
confirmation certificate supplied
(usually charged at £30 per device)
and the donation of reusable
devices to charity (BHF)
COLLECTION SCHEMES
Re-usable Items
None re-useable items, either:
Collected by Axion and then sent to E3 Recycling for dismantling and onward recovery of CRMs
Or:
Collected by trial partner organisation own contracted waste company
PAT-tested and data securely erased using certified software. Listed for sale on the BHF eBay store.
Proceeds went towards essential funding towards the BHF’s pioneering research and services.
In-store customer surveys undertaken and staff training provided
Devices of any condition accepted
Customers encouraged to donate
devices in good condition.

4. The LIFE 2014 CRM Recovery project has received funding from the LIFE Programme of the European Union.
- Overall, the trial schemes were a success with over 300 items collected.
- 110 items were classed as being suitable for re-use, resulting in > £2,500 being
raised through selling them on the BHF eBay site.
- Partnering with such well known and trusted organisations, seems to help the public
to overcome data security issues and encourages donations / returns.
- The most common items collected were laptops (22%), mobile phones (55%), PCs
(16%) and games consoles (5%). 13 tablets were donated to the trial (4% of total).
- Very few smartphones were donated to the trial. A total of 55 phones were donated
with only 9 (16%) of them being classed as smartphones. This this may be because
there are well established incentivised recycling schemes already in place which are
more appealing than donating a device or returning it to a store for recycling.
- Staff changes can impact upon the rate of collection.
- Regular visits by the trial partner to the stores helped to keep focus and increase
collection rates.
- It is helpful if a store has some form of ‘recycling champion’ in place.
- Retail has a vast distribution network, so it can be difficult to track collected WEEE
items through the system.
PRODUCTS
WEIGHT ITEMS
Kg % Number %
TVs & Monitors 14.82 2% 4 1%
Consumer
Electronics
40.81 6% 33 11%
ICT 580.98 86% 245 81%
Small Household
Appliances
0 0% 0 0%
Games consoles
(Cat 7)
35.95 5% 20 7%
TOTAL 672.56 100% 302 100%
Benefits

5. The LIFE 2014 CRM Recovery project has received funding from the LIFE Programme of the European Union.
- CRM Recovery project funding has helped to test and demonstrate a number of
repeatable, scalable processes of WEEE collection.
- The schemes developed within this trial provide useful pointers to addressing
concerns around data security and the knock-on effects on WEEE collection, re-use
and CRM recovery.
- Awareness of the issues and opportunities related to CRMs and WEEE have been
raised within the general population and a number of renowned retail brands and a
charitable organisation.