Legislative Decree No. 49 of 2014

The Italian Legislative Decree No. 49/2014 implements the EU WEEE Directive 2012/19/EU by establishing Extended Producer Responsibility requirements for waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE), requiring producers to finance and organise systems for collection, treatment, recovery and environmentally sound disposal of WEEE. It established procedures governing the production and management of WEEE, such as large household appliances, small appliances, computer equipment, and photovoltaic panels. The legislation was introduced to harmonise Italian law with EU requirements while creating a comprehensive framework for WEEE management. This decree replaced the previous Legislative Decree 151/2005 and strengthened producer obligations for WEEE handling. 

The legislation establishes a system where producers are responsible for financing and managing the collection, treatment, and recovery of WEEE. Key requirements include:

• Producers must achieve specific recovery and recycling targets based on equipment categories, ranging from 75% to 85% for recovery and 55% to 80% for recycling
• Manufacturers can fulfil obligations either individually or through collective schemes
• Distributors must provide free take-back of old equipment when selling new ones
• The law establishes a national register for producers and requires regular reporting of quantities placed on market and collected
• Cross-border shipments of WEEE must comply with EU waste shipment regulations

Want to know more about this policy ? Learn more