Current state and challenges in WEEE recycling industry in Serbia - case study

Waste from electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) is defined as a special waste flow due to the fact that it contains hazardous materials and should not be mixed and treat with other waste streams. In order to ensure adequate environmental protection and proper management of this waste flow, Serbia has harmonized its legislation in this field with EU WEEE Directive. However, main objectives are still not implemented, mainly because undeveloped separate collection scheme and lack of advanced treatment technologies. Also, EPR principles are still not fully established, including issues in ensuring stabile financial support for treatment operators. In this paper will be given an overview of the current situation, as well as problems and challenges in the management of WEEE in Serbia, with the focus on recycling industry, technology that is used for his treatment, assasment of the potencial for recycling, so as current numerical state of recycled WEEE in the country. Case study of recycling plant shows that to the the year of 2016. is recycled 70 000 tons of electronic and electrical waste and 500 000 cooling devices (mostly refrigerators). Beside that it is exported 70 tons of freon and treated 3 500 tons of hazardous glass.