Recycling efficiency of waste electronic and electrical equipment in the Republic of Croatia

Otpadna električna i elektronička oprema spada u posebne kategorije otpada zbog svog specifičnog sastava te potencijalnog izvora vrijednih sirovina. Stoga je za ovu kategoriju na razini EU propisano da se uspostavi poseban sustav gospodarenja te su propisani određeni ciljevi u smislu sakupljanja. U Republici Hrvatskoj (RH) ovaj sustav uspostavljen je 2007. godine te se provodi i danas. Kako bi se utvrdila učinkovitost sustava i učinkovitost recikliranja otpadne električne i elektroničke opreme, za potrebe izrade ovog rada sakupljeni su podaci od sakupljača i oporabitelja EE otpada na području Republike Hrvatske. Podaci su analizirani sa ciljem utvrđivanja učinkovitosti sustava. Temeljem dobivenih rezultata može se utvrditi da je RH ispunila cilj sakupljanja EE otpada za 2019. godinu, a u 2020. godini taj cilj nije ispunjen. Analizom obrade pojedinih kategorija za 2019. i 2020. godinu utvrđeno je da je učinkovitost oporabe koja uključuje materijalnu energetsku oporabu EE opreme bila oko 95% dok se cca. 5% otpada zbrinjavalo, što predstavlja visoku učinkovitost oporabe EE otpada.Waste electric and electronic equipment (WEEE) is classified as a special type of waste for its specific composition of materials and the potential source of valuable resources. That is why the EU brought a directive that regulates a special waste management system and also prescribes specific objectives regarding the collection of WEEE. In the Republic of Croatia this system was established in 2007 and has been implemented to the present day. In order to determine the effectiveness of this system and the effectiveness of recycling of WEEE and for the purpose of work on this graduation thesis, data was collected from organizations that collect and recycle EE waste at the territory of the Republic of Croatia. Data was analyzed with the objective to measure the effectiveness of this system. Based on the obtained results, a determination can be made that the Republic of Croatia achieved the goal of WEEE collection in the year 2019 and in 2020 that goal was not achieved. By analyzing treatment of different types of waste in 2019 and 2020, it has been determined that the effectiveness of recycling, that includes material and energy recovery, of WEEE was approximately 95%, whereas only approximately 5% of other waste was recycled, what drives the conclusion of a highly effective system WEEE treatment