“We are pleased to have Stena Miljø join us,” said Ole Viggo Svendsen and Thor Christian Wiik Svendsen from Elektronikkretur and Hvitevareretur, respectively, two companies which work together under the name El-retur to collect and recycle household appliances and consumer electronics.
Environmentally friendly processing
Stena Miljø has received a two-part contract from El-retur. In addition to processing and recycling WEEE (waste from electrical and electronic equipment) in Østfold, Akershus, Oslo, Hedmark, Buskerud and Hordaland, Stena Miljø will collect and transport WEEE from retailers and municipal recycling facilities in Østfold, Akershus, Oslo, Buskerud and Hordaland. In total, Stena Miljø will handle about 28,000 tons of WEEE annually. The three-year contract entered into force on July 1, 2003.
WEEE includes washing machines, coffee makers, computers, office equipment, televisions, electronic toys and mobile phones. Such products contain a number of environmental toxins such as mercury, PCB’s and bromated flame retardants, which, if released into nature, can have serious consequences for humans and the environment. It is vital for this reason that these products are handled in a secure and environmentally sensitive manner. All retailers and municipalities are responsible for accepting WEEE from private users free of charge.
About El-retur
El-retur is a national recycling system for end-of-life electrical and electronic products established by Elektronikkretur AS and Hvitevareretur AS. These two companies are responsible for information, collections and proper processing of WEEE on behalf of around 650 importers and manufacturers of electrical and electronic products in Norway. The system was created as a result of the EU’s WEEE directive, which makes producers and importers responsible for properly recycling end-of-life products and utilizing the resources in them. El-retur handles a total of approximately 60,000 tons of WEEE annually. See www.elretur.no for further information.