The EPR Scheme for WEEE: Electrical and Electronic Waste

Millions of electrical and electronic devices reach end of life in France every year, and the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment scheme, WEEE, has organized their collection and treatment since 2005.

This EPR sector currently manages more than six hundred thousand tons of WEEE a year and imposes specific obligations on manufacturers, importers, and distributors.

This article covers who’s concerned, how eco-modulation shapes your contribution, and how the collection and reuse network works in practice.

Summarize this article with:

🎯 TL;DR: The WEEE Scheme

• WEEE covers seven official equipment categories under Article R. 543-172 of the Environmental Code, from heat exchange equipment to photovoltaic panels, and manages over 600,000 tons a year.
• Ecosystem and Ecologic handle household equipment; Soren is approved specifically for photovoltaic panels, all coordinated through OCAD3E’s Territeo platform.
• From January 1, 2026, seven eco-modulation criteria apply to household EEE, four to professional EEE, rewarding features like battery separability and recycled plastic content.
• Distributors owe free take-back on every WEEE (one-for-one), plus one-for-zero for small WEEE if their sales area exceeds 400 m².

🔍 How We Checked This

WEEE’s legal basis is Directive 2012/19/EU of July 4, 2012, transposed into French law by Décret n° 2014-928 du 19 août 2014 and codified at Articles R. 543-172 et seq. of the Environmental Code. The seven-category classification and the 65%/85% collection target both cite the exact articles below. The repair fund figure (€62.4 million over three years) and the 2023 reuse figure (90,000 tons, 3% of managed waste) are the most recently reported figures at the time of writing; check current numbers with your eco-organization.

💻 Who’s Concerned and What Equipment Is Covered

Professionals required to declare their equipment

WEEE is one of the largest schemes in the French EPR system. Introduced on August 13, 2005 for professional equipment, then extended to household equipment on November 15, 2006, it currently manages more than six hundred thousand tons a year. Manufacturers, importers, and distributors selling under their own brand all fall within scope.

Since August 15, 2018, French law classifies EEE into seven official categories under Article R. 543-172 of the Environmental Code, one more than the EU’s own Annex III to Directive 2012/19/EU, since France added a dedicated category for photovoltaic panels.

#	Category	Examples
1	Heat exchange equipment	Fridges, freezers, heat pumps
2	Screens, monitors, equipment with a screen over 100 cm²	TVs, laptops
3	Lamps	LED bulbs, fluorescent tubes
4	Large equipment	Dishwashers, cookers, photocopiers
5	Small equipment	Vacuum cleaners, microwaves, smoke detectors
6	Small IT and telecommunications equipment	Phones, routers
7	Photovoltaic panels	Solar panels (managed by Soren)

The annual declaration and choice of eco-organizations

For the 2022-2027 period, three approved eco-organizations share the WEEE sector by equipment category: Ecosystem and Ecologic handle household equipment, and Soren holds the specific approval for photovoltaic panels.

The coordinating body OCAD3E ensures consistency between these operators via a platform called Territeo. The distinction between household and professional equipment matters, since it determines each producer’s specific obligations; professional WEEE placed on the market after August 13, 2005 falls under producer responsibility.

💶 The Eco-Contribution and Eco-Modulation System

The 2026 scales and new performance criteria

WEEE eco-contributions are calculated per unit or per ton depending on the product category and whether it’s household or professional. From January 1, 2026, seven eco-modulation criteria apply to household EEE and four to professional EEE, taking the form of bonuses for virtuous products or penalties for environmentally underperforming ones.

Battery separability is a major eco-modulation criterion. Incorporating recycled plastics from EPR sectors also triggers a financial bonus. On the other hand, the presence of HFC gases or brominated flame retardants generates penalties. Producers have every reason to weigh these constraints from the design stage rather than after the fact.

Mandatory display of eco-participation

Distributors have to visibly and separately display the eco-participation amount from the product price for every household electrical and electronic device and lamp, whether in physical stores, online, or on sales invoices.

That specific display obligation doesn’t apply to professional equipment, though the crossed-out wheeled bin symbol still has to appear on all equipment or its packaging, reminding buyers not to dispose of it with mixed municipal waste. The Info-tri symbol also has to be present, indicating the specific sorting instructions for each equipment category.

♻️ The WEEE Collection and Reuse System

Territorial coverage and mandatory take-back by distributors

Distributors are required to offer free take-back on a one-for-one basis for all WEEE. A consumer buying a new refrigerator can have their old one taken back free, either in-store or on delivery. For small WEEE, where no dimension exceeds 25 cm, distributors with a sales area over 400 m² must offer one-for-zero take-back, meaning no purchase required.

This makes sorting easier for consumers, who can drop off small used equipment at any large specialized store even without buying anything new. Public waste sites also provide dedicated bins for different WEEE categories to optimize the flow to treatment centers. Since January 1, 2021, Article R. 543-172-2 sets the minimum annual national collection target at 65% of the average weight of EEE placed on the French market over the prior three years, or 85% of the WEEE actually generated by weight, whichever applies.

The repair fund and reuse targets

Launched on December 15, 2022, a repair fund is financed annually by WEEE eco-organizations to fund certified repairers who restore defective equipment. €62.4 million was allocated over three years, real evidence of this system’s growth, aimed at extending equipment lifespan before it ever reaches end-of-life treatment.

Reuse targets set for eco-organizations keep rising. In 2023, ninety thousand tons of products were reused under EPR obligations, representing 3% of the waste these sectors manage. Eco-organizations build partnerships with social and solidarity economy actors who recover still-functional equipment, refurbish it, and resell it at solidarity prices. Equipment that can’t be repaired then goes through a dismantling process that separates metals, plastics, and electronic components to maximize material recovery.

Eco-modulation factor	Effect
Separable battery	Bonus
Recycled plastic content	Bonus
HFC gases present	Penalty
Brominated flame retardants present	Penalty

❓ Frequently Asked Questions About the WEEE Scheme

Which eco-organization do I need for WEEE?

Ecosystem or Ecologic for household equipment, and Soren specifically for photovoltaic panels. OCAD3E coordinates between them through the Territeo platform.

Do I have to take back a customer’s old appliance?

Yes, on a one-for-one basis for any WEEE when a customer buys new equipment. For small WEEE, distributors with over 400 m² of sales area must also accept items with no purchase required.

How can I lower my eco-contribution?

Design features like a separable battery or recycled plastic content earn a bonus under eco-modulation, while HFC gases or brominated flame retardants trigger a penalty.

Does the eco-participation display requirement apply to professional equipment?

No, that specific display obligation only applies to household equipment and lamps, though the crossed-out bin and Info-tri symbols still have to appear on professional equipment.

What happens to equipment that can’t be repaired?

It goes through a dismantling process that separates metals, plastics, and electronic components to maximize how much material actually gets recovered.

Get Your WEEE Compliance and Costs Under Control

WEEE is one of the more technically demanding EPR schemes, with eight equipment categories and eco-modulation criteria that reward or penalize design choices you already have to make. Getting your category and eco-organization right from the start avoids both compliance risk and unnecessary eco-contribution costs.

Start your free trial with Ekovio to manage your WEEE compliance and eco-contribution.