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Recyclingquote
In brief
The recycling rate is the share of a waste that is recycled as material, that is, flows back as a raw material into new products. It is usually stated as a percentage of the treated or collected quantity. For waste electrical equipment, the law prescribes minimum rates that are meant to show how much material is actually recovered from old devices.
Recycling rate, collection rate, recovery rate
The terms are often mixed up. But they measure different things:
| Rate | What is measured |
|---|---|
| Collection rate | How many old devices are collected in relation to the devices placed on the market |
| Recovery rate | Share of the treated quantity that is recovered – as material or as energy |
| Recycling rate | Share that is recycled as material; in the ElektroG together with preparation for reuse |
For waste electrical equipment, the WEEE Directive and the ElektroG set minimum values per device category. For small devices of information and telecommunications technology, for example, 75% recovery and 55% preparation for reuse and recycling apply. For screens, the values are 80% and 70%.
What the rate does not show
A high recycling rate does not mean that a device was put to good use. In the Waste hierarchy recycling comes only third, after prevention and preparation for reuse. A notebook that is refurbished and continues to be used saves more resources than one that is dismantled immediately. In addition, not all materials can be recovered equally well, for example rare metals in small quantities. More facts about electronic waste in the article 10 Surprising Facts About E-Waste. Second IT therefore relies on reuse before recycling and, as a certified waste management company, professionally recovers devices that can no longer be used.
Frequently asked questions about the recycling rate
How is the recycling rate calculated?
The quantity recycled as material is divided by the quantity collected or treated. Which reference quantity applies is set by the respective regulation. That is why rates from different sources are not always comparable.
Does reuse count toward the recycling rate?
In the ElektroG, preparation for reuse is reported together with recycling as a rate. The reuse of whole devices that never became waste, on the other hand, does not enter waste rates.
Is a high recycling rate always good?
It shows that little material is lost. Ecologically, however, it is better to use devices longer or reuse them before they are recycled.
What is the difference between recycling rate and collection rate?
The collection rate measures how many old devices are collected in relation to the devices placed on the market. The recycling rate measures the share that is recycled as material. The recovery rate additionally includes energy recovery.
What minimum rates apply to waste electrical equipment?
The WEEE Directive and the ElektroG set minimum values per device category. For small devices of information and telecommunications technology, 75% recovery and 55% preparation for reuse and recycling apply. For screens, the values are 80% and 70%.
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