A Coruña hosted a new edition of the National WEEE Congress, a meeting point where authorities, producers, and collective systems agreed on a key message: public-private collaboration and constructive dialogue among all stakeholders are essential to align goals, improve regulation, and provide legal certainty across the entire value chain.
The event was promoted by OfiRAEE’s member SCRAPs with the support of the Xunta de Galicia: ECOTIC, AMBILAMP, Fundación ECOLUM, Fundación ECOLEC, European Recycling Platform (ERP), Fundación Eco-Raee’s, and Recyclia/Ecopilas.
During the opening session, Andreu Vilà, General Director of ECOTIC and President of OfiRAEE, highlighted that “the proper management of waste electrical and electronic equipment is not only a legal obligation but also an opportunity to promote a more conscious consumption model, create jobs, and leave a positive legacy for future generations.”
Europe accelerates: new legislation and ambitious goals
Entre los temas abordados destacaron: The first day of the Congress focused on analysing the new European Circular Economy legislation, including the upcoming European Circular Economy Act, aimed at strengthening reuse, decarbonisation, and the creation of a single market for secondary raw materials.
Key topics discussed included:
- Promoting repair and refurbishment.
- Boosting technological innovation in recycling plants.
- Highlighting the importance of public-private cooperation to achieve the EU’s collection and recycling targets.
Local momentum for selective collection
At the regional level, the implementation of the fifth waste container in A Coruña was highlighted as an important step toward reducing landfill waste and improving source separation.
In addition, the Galician Government’s WEEE management agreement now includes over 170 municipalities —representing 55% of the total in Galicia— with the goal of expanding coverage across the entire region.
ECOTIC’s commitment
At ECOTIC, we share the vision that cooperation, dialogue, and mutual respect among all industry stakeholders are key to advancing towards a truly circular economy.
We will continue working to promote WEEE collection, treatment, and recovery solutions, collaborating with producers, distributors, installers, and public administrations to achieve their goals and support the recovery of critical raw materials.
