Page 63 - Management of waste electrical and electronic equipment in Latin America Current situation and outlook

Management of waste electrical and electronic equipment in
Latin America: Current situation and outlook

Chapter 3 – Challenges and

recommendations for improving

the management of waste

electrical and electronic equipment

(WEEE) in Latin America

Within the framework of the PREAL project, 13 Latin American countries strengthened their
legislation and public policies, making significant advances in the regulatory, technical,
institutional and social aspects related to the sustainable management of WEEE. The following
advances stand out in particular:
• Strengthening regulatory frameworks.

• Developing technical tools.
• Building institutional capacity.
• Promoting education and awareness.

This represents remarkable progress compared with the initial situation in 2019. The gradual
adoption of the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) principle is one of the most significant
achievements, although its implementation still faces challenges in terms of operability,
enforcement and financial sustainability.

In Latin America, Brazil, Colombia and Mexico are consolidating their positions as regional
leaders. Although Brazil faces challenges in terms of enforcement and national scope, it has
developed a national waste policy with sectoral WEEE agreements and a growing reverse
logistics system. Colombia stands out thanks to its robust legal and regulatory framework,
its online WEEE traceability and monitoring system, its experienced EPR-based collection
and management systems, and its well-developed management companies. Mexico has had
regulations in place since 2003, and is making progress on state management plans, with a
robust technical approach. These countries have served as an inspiration for the rest of the
region, in terms of regulations and operational schemes.

In another context, Japan has a robust system comprising specific laws for household appliances
and small devices, a clear distribution of responsibilities, and an efficient logistics system in
which consumers cover the costs of the entire management system, as is the case in most
countries that have implemented WEEE management. France, for its part, has a national circular
economy strategy that incorporates mandatory EPR, and well-structured collective systems
with high coverage, collection efficiency and WEEE traceability. Both countries systematically
incorporate eco-design, data digitization, and prevention policies.

The PREAL Project encouraged Latin American countries to adopt the best practices for
managing WEEE, and for raising the issue to the forefront of their national environmental
agendas. However, to establish systems comparable with those in Japan or France, institutional
synergies must be strengthened to increase collection rates and regulatory compliance, improve
infrastructure technology to maximize the use of recoverable materials, and treat hazardous

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