We reported last month on a proposal to spend several million pounds from the WEEE Fund to help Approved Authorised Treatment Facilities (AATFs) survive the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Over the last three years the WEEE recovery targets have been increasingly difficult to meet and suppliers have been obliged to pay more Compliance Fee as an alternative means of meeting their WEEE obligations. The Compliance Fee revenue is administered by Material Change (formerly the WEEE Fund) and can only be used to support the objectives of the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Regulations 2013. There are three strands of funding available: grants for research, grants to Local Authorities, and awards to WEEE projects that bid for funding.

After some deliberation, and mindful of feedback from AMDEA and other JTA members, the WEEE Fund Panel agreed a WEEE Support Grants and Loans Package to help the electrical waste recycling sector deal with the impact of Covid-19. The Panel comprises representatives of Defra, AATF Forum, ICER, LARAC, NAWDO, WEEE Schemes Forum, Reuse Network, Joint Trade Associations, and the Environmental Services Association.

In all, £5 million is available for interest free loans to AATFs who meet certain criteria and £0.6 million as grants to charity sector reuse organisations.