RoRec Association and local authorities unvail the National Network for WEEE Collection Centers

Romanian Association for Recycling RoRec initiated a national project meant to create a coherent WEEE (waste of electric and electronic equipment) collection infrastructure, in partnership with local authorities

July 2011 - From the Print Edition

The National RoRec Association Network for WEEE Collection Centers, with the support of town-halls, is a service designated to the community, and it addresses both population and state or private companies.
The collection center is one designated area set according to EU standards, so that wastes from electric and electronic equipments can be collected in an organized manner and under safe conditions, by complying to environment legislation.
“Romanian legislation states there should be a WEEE collection center for every 50,000 people, but no less than one in each locality. Our new project comes to support local authorities, by offering new solutions for WEEE collection according to european standards, taking into consideration the 4 kg per capita quota of WEEE collected yearly – imposed by the European Union, and last but not least, considering the environment protection,” declared Liviu Popeneciu, President of Romanian Association for Recycling RoRec.
Among the first collection centers’ locations to be inaugurated by mid July are Tulcea, Valenii de Munte, Calarasi, Brad and Hunedoara.
“We are honoured to be the first to inaugurate The National RoRec Association Network for WEEE Collection Centers, and one of our main concerns is the environment protection.
The citizens of Tulcea county now have a handy solution for collecting WEEE and in the same time complying with European regulations,” added Constantin Hogea, Mayor of Tulcea.
The WEEE collection center in Tulcea that addresses both the population and private and state companies and institutions has a special “Infoline”callcenter available on weekdays and Saturdays. Discarded electronic equipments can be brought to Atelierelor Street every Saturday from 9 to 13, while heavy appliances can be picked up free of charge from households, following a request by telephone to the Infoline.
Romanian Association for Recycling RoRec is a not-for-profit organization, founded by ten of the best known European manufacturers of household appliances, presently acting in Romania: Amica, Arctic, Bosch Siemens Electrocasnice, Candy Hoover, Electrolux, Gorenje, Indesit, Philips, Groupe SEB and Whirlpool.
Its mission is to actively contribute to European objectives for preserving, protecting and improving the quality of the environment and the human health, by rationally using natural resources, and offering complete waste management services for WEEE, which also includes reintroduction of raw material into the economic sector.

The advantages offered by the WEEE collection centers

* A special location designated for the correct disposal of WEEE
* Collecting WEEE according to legislation.
* Protecting the environment from pollution with toxic substances from WEEE.
* Selective collection of WEEE and transport to authorized reciclators.

Why should we recycle WEEE

* Because the toxicity of WEEE is ten time higher than of usual wastes
* Because each of us is responsible for the waste we generate. We cannot throw away just anything, anywhere, regardless of what we leave behind and of the disastrous effects that waste has on the environment
* where we live. We all wish for better, cleaner roads, streets, towns. It is time each of us did something to achieve that.
* Because recycling means respect for the law and for ourselves. The legislation obliges us to recycle in order to reduce the effects of pollution, but beyond these obligations, we should be aware that nature has limited capacities to process our waste.
* Because each child has the right to breathe clean air, to walk in clean parks and forests, to play in safe places and to grow up in a healthy environment, and we, the grown-ups, have the responsibility to make sure that we offer them these conditions.
* Because waste becomes valuable when it is correctly recycled. When it is disassembled and treated according to environment standards, waste becomes secondary raw material. This means that natural resources are used efficiently.
* Because waste electrical and electronic equipment can contain dangerous substances which, once they reach the water, air or soil, have long-term harmful effects on our food, on the water we drink or the air that we breathe.
* These are only a few of the reasons why it is compulsory for recycling to become a habit, going beyond the status of a topic for fashionable conversation.