Following the merger of Eco-systèmes and Recylum in 2018, the procedures for each take-back scheme operator were reworked in order to standardise practices. A project was launched to define and implement a sole operator control policy for ecosystem regardless of the area of activity and the type of operator. 5 principles, the basis of ecosystem’s control policy, were established.

For example, the principle of the industry’s quality garantee is a “founding principle for the industry in general and in particular for ecosystem. This is core in the relation of trust between ecosystem and the general public who participate in the industry’s development regardless of whether they are household or professional products. This is achieved by the comprehensive depollution.  This implies improving the quality of the WEEE managed in order to achieve a high level of quality in the industry and for the new secondary raw materials produced: this principle makes our tag line “recycling is protecting” tangible (health, environment and resources). For ecosystem this not only means being compliant in terms of regulations but to go beyond this, wherever possible, by developing with stakeholders the technologies best suited to the changes in the WEEE collected and in its composition. ”

The requirements specific to each business (collection, regrouping, transport, treatment) have been reviewed and the control tools updated, standardised and adapted. Contracts were also affected so as to integrate the requirements that are specific to each business in the sector in order to guarantee the quality of the operations carried out. Both the controls carried out and any penalties applied in the case of non-compliance are also detailed.

The industry’s quality guarantee is also achieved by adapting the fractions generated by WEEE treatment processes that are not all equal in terms of environmental risks. Monitoring is therefore adapted to the level of their environmental impact and aims a maximal traceability of the most hazardous fractions.